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NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


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NEW  TRAILS  IN 
MEXICO 

AN  ACCOUNT  OF  ONE  YEAR'S  EXPLORATION  IN 
NORTH-WESTERN  SONORA,  MEXICO,  AND  SOUTH-WESTERN  ARIZONA 

1909-1910 


BY 

CARL  LUMHOLTZ,  M.A. 

MEMBER  OF  THE  SOCIETY  OF  SCIENCES  OF  CHRISTIANIA;    GOLD  MEDALLIST  OF  THE  NORWEGIAN 
GEOGRAPHICAL  SOCIETY;    ASSOCIE  ETRANGER  DE  LA  SOCIETE  DE  L'ANTHROPOLOGIE 
UE  PARIS;   AUTHOR  OF  "AMONG  CANNIBALS,"  "UNKNOWN  MEXICO,"  ETC. 


WITH  NUMEROUS  ILLUSTRATIONS 
INCLUDING  TWO  COLOR  PLATES  AND  TWO  MAPS 


NEW  YORK 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 

I  9 1  2 


Copyright,  iqix,  by 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 


Published  October,  1912 


TO 

THOSE  WHO  LOVE  NATURE 
IN  ALL  ITS  ASPECTS 


PREFACE 


During  the  years  1909  and  19 10  I  was  commissioned 
by  some  influential  friends  to  look  into  certain  economical 
possibilities  of  the  arid  and  little  known  country  along 
the  upper  part  of  the  Gulf  of  California,  east  of  the  Colo- 
rado River.  My  field  embraced  most  of  the  District  of 
Altar,  in  the  State  of  Sonora,  Mexico,  as  well  as  the 
southern  part  of  the  newly  admitted  State  of  Arizona; 
in  other  words,  the  region  which  by  the  early  Spanish 
chroniclers  was  designated  as  Papagueria,  after  the  native 
inhabitants,  the  Papago  Indians.  Some  of  this  country, 
being  the  least  accessible  part  of  the  Sonora  Desert, 
is  singularly  little  known,  though  lying,  so  to  speak,  at 
the  door  of  the  great  empire  of  Yankee  enterprise.  My 
mission  gave  me  an  opportunity  for  geographical  and 
ethnological  studies,  an  account  of  which  is  here  presented 
in  popular  form.  For  this  opportunity  I  am  grateful  to 
my  friends. 

Among  my  predecessors  in  exploration  of  the  Papa- 
gueria should  be  mentioned  Prof.  W.  J.  McGee,  well 
known  from  his  studies  of  the  Seri  Indians,  lower  down 
the  Gulf.  In  the  nineties  he  made  journeys  through 
parts  of  this  region  and  he  has  published  interesting  ac- 
counts of  the  desert  and  its  natives.    In  November,  1908, 

vii 


viii 


PREFACE 


Drs.  D.  T.  MacDougal  and  W.  T.  Hornaday  made  a 
month's  trip  from  Tucson,  Arizona,  to  the  Pinacate  region, 
both  pubhshing  descriptions  which  were  accompanied  by- 
maps  by  Mr.  Godfrey  Sykes.  These  gentlemen,  accord- 
ing to  their  own  reports,  had  no  opportunities  for  extensive 
explorations  of  the  Papagueria,  which  I  found  of  such  in- 
terest that  my  expedition  occupied  me  over  a  year.  The 
extreme  western  part  of  this  region,  the  sandy  country 
between  Pinacate  and  the  Colorado  River,  so  far  as  my 
knowledge  goes,  had  not  before  been  investigated.  The 
travels  here  of  the  Jesuit  fathers  during  the  seventeenth 
century  did  not  extend  much  south  of  the  present  Mexican 
boundary.  Some  of  that  country  probably  had  not  be- 
fore ever  been  visited  by  a  white  man,  and  I  have  there- 
fore described  that  part  of  my  journey  in  greater  detail, 
thinking  that  an  accurate  account  may  prove  of  value 
and  even  of  practical  interest. 

This  region,  no  doubt,  recently  had  a  less  arid  climate, 
with  much  greater  rainfall  than  at  the  present  time.  It 
seems  impossible  to  explain  otherwise  the  recent  great 
accumulation  of  detritus  at  Sonoita,  at  the  origin  of  the 
little  river  of  the  same  name,  or  the  marked  effect  of  the 
action  of  the  water  on  the  hard  rocks  of  Tinaja  de  los 
Papagos.  That  country  is  a  desert,  on  account  of  the 
scarcity  of  rain,  but  the  soil  is  in  places  extremely  fertile 
and  I  doubt  not  that  through  human  agency  large  parts 
of  it  will  some  day  delight  the  eye  with  waving  fields  of 
grain  and  orchards  of  fruit. 

Although  most  of  that  arid  region  will  always  remain 
suitable  only  for  cattle  and  horse  raising,  still  there  is 


PREFACE 


more  of  it  than  people  realize  which  can  be  brought  under 
cultivation.  I  may  mention  the  extensive  valley  which, 
south  of  the  Mexican  boundary  line,  runs  east  and  west, 
passing  beyond  Sonoita,  the  great  plains  north-east  and 
south-east  of  Pinacate,  as  well  as  the  middle  course  in 
most  of  the  flat  valleys;  for  instance,  many  of  those  be- 
tween the  Gila  range  and  the  ranges  following  as  far  east 
almost  as  Silver  Bell,  extending  in  the  west  as  far  north 
as  the  Gila  River.  The  problem  of  water  is  bound  to 
be  solved  at  some  future  time,  as  soon  as  the  necessity 
arises.  Water  may  be  found  at  a  depth  of  from  fifty  to 
a  hundred  feet,  but  at  most  places  one  would  have  to  go 
several  hundred  feet  down.  Judging  from  the  extraor- 
dinary springs  I  encountered  on  the  shore  of  the  salt 
deposit,  Salina  Grande,  near  the  coast,  there  must  be  a 
large  sheet  of  fresh  water  underneath  most  of  that  western 
coastal  desert.  This  inference  seems  to  be  confirmed  by 
the  flow  of  water  which  was  found  in  digging  the  well, 
near  Horseshoe  in  the  Quijotoa  Range. 

The  mineral  prospects  of  the  region,  especially  as 
regards  gold,  are  great.  There  are  numerous  large  veins 
south  of  Sonoita  which  should  be  examined  and  the  moun- 
tains of  the  western  desert  explored.  Free  gold  which 
undoubtedly  has  been  encountered  in  the  malpais  in  the 
northern  part  of  Pinacate  should  also  be  followed  up. 

The  extraordinary  adaptation  to  arid  conditions  of 
plant  and  animal  life,  even  the  domesticated  animals 
of  Indians  and  Mexicans  subsisting  without  difficulty  for 
months  without  water,  cannot  help  but  interest  the  ob- 
server.   With  the  exception  of  the  Seri  and  Pima  Indians 


X 


PREFACE 


the  natives  of  the  desert  have  so  far  received  little  attention 
from  those  engaged  in  the  study  of  primitive  races.  The 
Papagoes  are  the  great  desert  people  of  America  and  are 
remarkably  stable  in  their  racial  characteristics,  still  pre- 
serving traditions  and  habits  of  the  past  which  will  soon 
disappear.  There  are  also  ancient  remains  left  since 
the  occupancy  of  that  same  country  by  people  who  had 
a  higher  state  of  development  than  the  present-day  Ind- 
ians. Original  documents  relating  to  the  history  of  the 
region  are  not  always  of  easy  access,  and  I  have  not  had 
an  opportunity  of  consulting  them. 

In  spite  of  excessive  heat  in  the  summer  the  nights  are 
always  cool,  and  the  climate  is  salubrious  and  even  in- 
vigorating. During  three  months  in  the  spring  I  travelled 
without  wearing  a  hat,  which  made  me  feel  comfortable 
and  actually  cooler.  The  one  drawback  to  a  journey 
in  those  regions  is,  of  course,  the  want  of  water,  and,  be- 
cause of  this,  caution  is  necessary,  but  this  need  not  inter- 
fere with  the  enjoyment  of  the  freedom  of  the  wilds.  I 
can  understand  the  expression  of  an  enthusiastic  person 
who  for  the  first  time  felt  the  charm  of  the  desert:  *'I 
am  drunk  with  out-of-doors!"  When  I,  in  the  easy  sur- 
roundings of  civilized  life,  read  my  notes  from  the  field, 
it  sometimes  occurs  to  me  that  this  or  that  which  I  went 
through  was  well  done;  but  what  in  civilization  appears 
as  hardship,  privation,  or  risk  amounts  to  little  when  act- 
ually happening,  even  if  one  is,  as  the  Irishman  said, 
^'a  thousand  miles  from  home  and  fifty  miles  from  any 
place." 

To  the  lover  of  nature  in  all  aspects,  this  land  of  "si- 


PREFACE 


xi 


lence,  solitude,  and  sunshine"  cannot  help  but  present  a 
strong  fascination.  The  wonderful  colors  of  the  late 
afternoon,  the  glorious  sunsets,  the  peace  and  calm  of 
night,  the  thrill  that  accompanies  the  early  dawn  of  the 
morning  are  sources  of  constant  delight  to  the  traveller. 
Besides,  an  expedition  of  this  kind  directs  one's  thoughts 
into  other  channels  than  those  of  the  ordinary  humdrum 
of  life.  The  starlit  sky,  under  which  one  sleeps  with  im- 
punity, invites  imagination  to  take  flight  into  the  infinite 
universe,  and  one  has  time  to  reflect  on  the  beauty  of 
existence  and  the  grandeur  of  nature,  a  pleasure  which  is 
denied  to  most  dwellers  in  cities. 

During  my  travels  I  used  an  Army  Sketching  Case, 
designed  and  patented  by  Glenn  T.  Smith,  topographer. 
United  States  Geological  Survey,  and  I  collected  besides 
a  large  amount  of  data  of  geographical  importance.  Of 
the  region  traversed  by  me  a  considerable  portion  appears 
on  the  hitherto  published  maps  as  blank  space.  The 
International  Boundary  Commission,  which  takes  in 
generally  from  two  and  a  half  to  three  miles  on  each 
side  of  the  boundary.  West  of  Meridian  iii,  west  of 
Greenwich,  and  south  of  Parallel  33  only  one  topo- 
graphical sheet,  that  of  Yuma,  has  been  published  by 
the  United  States  Geological  Survey. 

In  making  the  map  herewith  presented,  as  a  base  for 
starting,  the  Atlas  sheets  of  the  International  Boundary 
Commission  have  been  used.  In  Arizona  the  word 
range"  has  been  employed  as  a  synonym  for  the 
Spanish  sierra.  This  is  generally  in  conformity  with 
the  usage  of  the  South-west. 


xii 


PREFACE 


The  following  maps  and  authorities  were  consulted: 

1.  Report  of  the  International  Boundary  Commission, 

1891-1896. 

2.  United  States  Geological  Survey. 

3.  Gulf  of  California,  original  survey  by  U.  S.  S. 

Narragansett,  1 873-1 875,  the  Hydrographic 
Office,  United  States  Navy  Department,  Wash- 
ington, District  of  Columbia. 

4.  General  Land  Office  Map,  Department  of  the  In- 

terior, 1909. 

5.  Pima  County,  by  George  J.  Roskruge,  1893. 
While  the  accompanying  map  has  been  made  with 

all  possible  care  and  after  taking  into  account  all  obtain- 
able material,  it  naturally  does  not  claim  absolute  accu- 
racy. The  task  of  preparing  a  map  approaching  perfec- 
tion would  require  as  many  years  as  I  had  months  at 
my  disposal. 

I  desire  to  express  to  Mr.  A.  Briesemeister,  of  the 
American  Museum  of  Natural  History,  who  drew  the  two 
maps,  my  appreciation  of  his  painstaking  and  skilful 
work.  Sr.  Y.  Bonillas,  mining  engineer  and  surveyor 
in  Nogales,  kindly  assisted  in  giving  the  location  of  cer- 
tain places,  and  to  his  son.  Sr.  Y.  S.  Bonillas,  of  the  In- 
stituto  Geologico  de  Mexico,  I  owe  valuable  topograph- 
ical information  in  regard  to  the  Pinacate  region.  I  am 
indebted  to  Mr.  G.  Sykes  for  a  tracing  of  the  mouth  of  the 
Colorado  River,  1907,  although  I  disagree  with  him  in  his 
estimate  of  the  extent  of  the  Santa  Clara  Slough. 

The  photographs  have  with  few  exceptions  been  taken 
by  myself.    I  had  with  me  three  cameras,  all  of  the  so- 


PREFACE 


Xlll 


called  Kodak  type,  made  by  the  Eastman  Company, 
Rochester,  New  York.  The  largest  carried  5x7  films; 
the  other  two  were  Folding  Pocket  Kodaks,  all  provided 
with  high-grade  lenses.  The  photograph  of  the  little  elf 
owl,  reproduced  at  page  18,  was  presented  to  me  by  Mr. 
Herbert  Brown,  of  Tucson,  and  that  of  the  row  of  cur- 
lews, at  page  256,  by  Mr.  Warburton  Pike,  of  British 
Columbia.  The  photograph  of  Casa  Grande,  which 
appears  on  the  map  of  the  Papagueria,  I  owe  to  the 
courtesy  of  the  Bureau  of  American  Ethnology.  The 
photograph  of  the  Yaqui  chiefs,  as  well  as  that  of  the 
donkeys  bringing  bat  guano,  were  taken  by  a  Hermosillo 
photographer.  The  clowns  and  Pablo  I  had  taken  in 
Tucson. 

Mr.  Marius  Dahlgren,  my  able  friend  of  Tucson, 
kindly  contributed  the  painting  of  sunset  in  the  desert, 
reproduced  as  frontispiece.  Miss  Gladys  Batchelder 
Greene  was  good  enough  to  transcribe  the  two  native 
songs.  The  two  colored  illustrations  are  by  Mr.  R. 
Weber,  and  the  drawings  of  native  implements  were 
made  by  Mr.  W.  Baake,  after  objects  collected  during 
the  expedition. 

The  comparative  vocabulary,  published  by  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution,  has  been  used  as  a  basis  for  the 
short  vocabularies  of  Appendix  I. 

To  my  good  friend,  Hon.  Franklin  MacVeagh,  Secre- 
tary of  the  United  States  Treasury,  I  am  indebted  for  the 
official  courtesy  which  he,  through  the  State  Department, 
secured  on  my  behalf  in  Mexico. 

I  wish  to  express  my  grateful  acknowledgment  to  the 


XIV 


PREFACE 


Mexican  Government  for  removing  all  custom  duties 
for  my  expedition  and  for  continuing  in  other  ways  the 
pleasant  relations  of  former  years. 

For  the  identification  of  the  several  plants  referred  to 
in  the  book  as  well  as  for  valuable  information  on  botanical 
subjects  I  am  under  great  obligation  to  Dr.  B.  L.  Robin- 
son, Curator  of  the  Gray  Herbarium,  Harvard  University. 
Dr.  J.  A.  Allen,  Mr.  Frank  M.  Chapman,  and  Mr.  W. 
Beutenmiiller,  of  the  American  Museum  of  Natural  His- 
tory, New  York,  have  identified  certain  mammals,  birds, 
and  insects.  Mr.  Samuel  Henshaw,  of  the  Museum  of 
Comparative  Zoology,  Harvard  University,  has  identified 
various  insects.  In  regard  to  mineralogical  and  geological 
specimens  I  have  consulted  with  Dr.  C.  P.  Berkey,  of 
Columbia  University;  Mr.  L.  P.  Gratacap  and  Dr.  E.  O. 
Hovey,  of  the  American  Museum  of  Natural  History,  as 
well  as  with  Prof.  Cyrus  F.  Tolman,  of  Arizona  Uni- 
versity, who  for  ten  days  accompanied  me  on  the 
expedition  near  Magdalena,  and  who  has  contributed  a 
sketch  of  the  geological  formation  of  the  Papagueria, 
presented  as  Appendix  HI.  Mr.  Nathan  Banks,  Mr. 
Barton  A.  Bean,  Dr.  J.  N.  Rose,  and  Dr.  Leonard 
Stejneger,  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  Washington, 
have  further  contributed  toward  the  identification  of 
certain  specimens  of  natural  history. 

Carl  Lumholtz 

New  York,  191 2 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I 

PAGE 

Westward  Bound — Civilization  in  the  West — Tucson  Past  and 
Present — Visit  to  San  Xavier  Del  Bac — The  Papago  Ind- 
ian Reservation — Ancient  Fortifications — Native  Ceme- 
teries— Antiquities — Courtship  of  the  Night  Hawks   .    .  I 


CHAPTER  H 

The  Papagueria — Its  Natural  Features — Sierras  and  Llanos 
— Small  Rainfall — High  Temperature — Remarkable  Adap- 
tation of  Plant  Life — Fauna — The  Papago,  the  Great 
People  of  the  Desert — First  Encounter  with  the  Whites 
— Present  Conditions   1 6 


CHAPTER  III 

An  Expedition  into  Southern  Arizona — My  Companion — 
The  Range  of  Baboquivari — Fresnal — Papago  Manner  of 
Curing  Disease — At  the  Boundary — An  Unusual  Relig- 
ious Commotion — Visit  to  a  Sacred  Cave — Indian  Oasis  .  30 


CHAPTER  IV 

The  Giant  Cactus  or  Sahuaro — The  Sahuaro  Feast  at  Noria 
— Dancing  and  Singing — The  Medicine  Lodge — Tobacco 
— Well  Received — Dissertations  with  the  Indians — An 
Adventure — An  Ancient  Festival — Native  Oratory — Ob- 
jection to  Photography — Artistic  Gifts  of  a  Native  ...  45 

CHAPTER  V 

Comobabi — An  Attractive  Indian  Family — Marianita — A 
Horned  Lizard  that  Spurts  Blood  through  the  Eye — An 
Aboriginal  Way  of  Recording  Events — The  Papago  Cal- 
endar— Harvesting  Sahuaro — How  to  Keep  Comfortable 
in  Great  Heat — A  Visit  to  Chief  Alvina   65 


XV 


XVI 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  VI 

Horseshoe  in  the  Quijotoa  Range — Indians  as  Miners — Spend- 
ing a  Night  under  Difficulties — Delightful  Natives — A 
Woman's  Game — Santa  Rosa  Rancheria — The  Great 
Harvest  Feast  of  Santa  Rosa  

CHAPTER  VII 

Visit  to  a  Very  Sacred  Place — The  Children's  Sacrifice — A 
Meeting  with  an  Important  Personage — Anekam — Prim- 
itive Natives — I  Arrive  among  the  Kohatk  People — A 
Wet  Night — Return  to  Santa  Rosa  

CHAPTER  VIII 

Scorpions — A  Storm  in  the  Desert — How  the  Sahuaro  Wine 
Is  Made — The  Sahuaro  Feast  at  Santa  Rosa — A  Great 
Rendezvous — Social  Amusements  of  the  Papago — Success 
at  Collecting  Specimens — Stuck  in  the  Mud — Wonderful 
Change  in  the  Landscape — A  Valuable  Vegetable — Part- 
ing with  Pablo  

CHAPTER  IX 

In  Magdalena,  Mexico — The  State  of  Sonora — The  Yaqui 
Indians — An  Attack  of  Dysentery — Trincheras,  the  Re- 
markable Ancient  Fortifications — Antiquities  of  the  Pa- 
pagueria — Altar — Caborca — I  Start  Westward — Placer 
Mines — The  Choya — Its  Terrible  Spines — Its  Great  Util- 
ity— Cattle  Which  Are  without  Water  for  Months      .  . 

CHAPTER  X 

Adventure  with  a  Coyote — Unusual  Afterglow — A  Meteor — 
A  Great  and  Fertile  Valley — The  Custom  of  Nidri — La 
Nariz — The  Papagoes  of  Quitovac  


CONTENTS 


xvu 


CHAPTER  XI 

PAGE 

Sonoita,  an  Oasis  of  the  Desert — Its  Pleasant  Population — 
Lessons  of  the  Sonoita  River — Antiquities — A  Lunar 
Rainbow — Primitive  Gold  Mining — Prevalence  of  Hydro- 
phobia— Unusual  Refraction  of  Sunlight  1 74 


CHAPTER  XII 

Areas  of  Vegetation — Fitting  Out  an  Expedition  under  Diffi- 
culties— An  Old  Medicine-Man  Enrolled  as  a  Member — 
Guadalupe  1 87 


CHAPTER  XIII 

The  Old  Caborca-Yuma  Trail — Quitovaquita,  the  Place  of 
Small  Springs — Old  Camping  Places — Pinacate  and  Le- 
gends Connected  with  It — Discovery  of  Water — Our 
First  Mountain-Sheep — Visit  to  a  Sacred  Cave — Ascent 
of  the  Peak — Winter  Weather — Crater  Elegante — Travel 
at  Night  196 


CHAPTER  XIV 


Changing  Camp — Mountain-Sheep — The  Useful  Greasewood 
— Palo  Fierro,  the  Friendly  Desert  Tree — Los  Medanos, 
the  Great  Sand  Dunes — Unusual  Tracks — Abandoned  Ind- 
ian Camps — New  Sierras — La  Tinaja  de  Los  Papagos — 
Visit  to  a  Crater  21 J 


CHAPTER  XV 

Westward — Looking  Back  toward  Pinacate — Tinajas  Altas — 
Its  Dismal  Memories — Sunshine  and  Moonlight  of  the 
Early  Morning — El  Capitan — Laguna  Prieta,  a  Salt  Lake 
— A  Long  Wait  for  Water — How  Fresh  Water  Appears 
among  Bulrushes — Approaching  the  Colorado  River — 
Colonia  Lerdo — The  Indians  at  the  Lower  Part  of  the 
Great  River  235 


XVlll 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  XVI 

PAGE 

Travelling  along  the  Gulf  of  California — Delightful  Climate — 
Killing  a  Porpoise — Fishing — Fresh  Water  on  the  Beach 
— Unattractive  Drinking  Water — Fine  Views — A  Great 
Salt  Deposit — Extraordinary  Occurrence  of  Springs — 
Hard  Travel — ^The  Papago  Salt  Expeditions — Worship  of 
the  Sea  254 

CHAPTER  XVH 

A  Peaceful  Day — Tragedy  in  the  Wilderness — Our  Animals 
Beginning  to  Give  In — A  Promising  Soda  Deposit — Last 
Camp  on  the  Beach — Among  the  Sand  Dunes — Sierra 
Blanca — The  Mouth  of  the  Sonoita  River — El  Charco — 
Pronghorn  Antelopes — Meeting  with  Indians — Return  to 
Sonoita  274 

CHAPTER  XVIII 

New  Expedition  Westward — Growler  Well — A  Hardy  Old  Pa- 
pago— Disagreeable  Experience  with  a  Mexican  of  My 
Party — A  Valuable  New  Member — Papago  Loyalty — 
Pronghorn  Antelope  Again — Mountain-Sheep  Inside  of  a 
Crater — I  Leave  My  Main  Camp — My  Two  Companions 
— Risks  Taken  by  the  Prospector — Deceptive  Atmosphere 
— Our  Guiding  Star — Reading  Tracks — Solitude — Beauty 
of  the  Desert  289 

CHAPTER  XIX 

I  Overtake  My  Men — Again  at  Tinajas  Altas — Progress  under 
Difficulties — Exploring  in  Los  Medanos — Astonishing  Dis- 
play of  Flowers — Picturesque  Camp  on  the  Dunes — I 
Lose  My  Riding  Mule — Sierra  Del  Rosario — Travel  at 
Night— The  Wonderful  "Root  of  the  Sands"  308 

CHAPTER  XX 

Return  to  Tinajas  Altas — Evasive  Travellers — An  "Oldtimer" 
— The  Cabeza  Prieta  Mountains — Vague  Notions  of  Prop- 
erty— The  Pools  of  Cabeza  Prieta — A  Rainy  Day — I 
Reach  My  Main  Camp — The  Advantage  of  Travel  with 
Donkeys — My  Indian  Companions — The  Sand  People     .  320 


CONTENTS 


xix 


CHAPTER  XXI 

PAGE 

An  Indian  Hermit — Aboriginal  Cooking — Again  in  Sonoita — 
Ancient  Village  Sites  Around  the  Altar  River — A  Remedy 
for  Snake  Bites — I  Arrive  at  Ajo,  Arizona — Gila  Bend 
Reservation — An  Ancient  Fortress — The  Maricopa  Ind- 
ians— The  Ways  of  Civilization — The  Pima  Indians — 
Casa  Grande — Its  Builders — Return  to  Civilization    .    .  333 

CHAPTER  XXII 

Physical  and  Mental  Characteristics  of  the  Papago — Effects  of 
Contact  with  White  Man — Marital  Relations — Woman's 
High  Position — Industries — Divisions  of  the  Tribe — 
Religion  and  Myths — Races  and  Games — Fights  with 
Apaches — Sham  Battles — Present  Conditions  and  Pros- 
pects of  the  Papago  344 


APPENDICES 

I —  Short  Vocabularies  from  the  Languages  of  the  Papago, 

Pima,  and  Cocopa  Indians  368 

II —  Rancherias,  Present  and  Past,  of  the  Papago,  with  Inter- 

pretations of  Their  Native  Name  377 

III —  Geological  Sketch  of  the  Papagueria  398 


INDEX 


401 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


At  Sunset:  Santa  Catalina  Mountains,  near  Tucson. 

{Colored  plate)  Frontispiece 

FACING  PAGE 


In  a  Tucson  garden   4 

Where  peace  reigns  supreme.    San  Xavier   4 

Mission  church  of  San  Xavier  del  Bac   12 

A  kiln  at  San  Xavier   12 

Threshing  wheat.    San  Xavier   12 

Sierra  de  la  Basura,  Sonora.    Seen  from  the  south-west  ...  18 

An  exceptional  mountain  range  of  the  Papagueria   18 

A  characteristic  mountain  range  of  the  Papagueria     ....  18 

Mocking-bird  {Mimus)   22 

Elf-owl  (Micropallas)   22 

Cotton-tail  rabbit   22 

Young  gray  fox,  at  burrow   22 

Rattlesnake   22 

Peak  of  Baboquivari,  seen  from  north-west   32 

Peak  of  Baboquivari   42 

Ocotillo  {Fouquieria  splendens)   42 

Entrance  to  the  Sacred  Cave,  at  foot  of  peak  of  Baboquivari  42 

Barrel  cactus   42 

Sahuaro,  or  giant  cactus  {Cereus  giganteus)   48 

Single-column  sahuaro   48 

Sahuaro,  dry,  showing  its  wooden  structure   48 

Papago  ethnology   56 

Picture  drawn  by  an  untutored  Papago   62 

Using  the  ancient  hoe   62 

Mother  with  child  in  cradle.    Aktjin   62 

xxi 


xxii  ILLUSTRATIONS 

FACING  PAGE 

Palo  verde,  near  a  Papago  cemetery   72 

The  medicine-lodge  at  Santa  Rosa   72 

Showing  how  to  swing  the  bull-roarer   88 

Woman's  game  of  double-ball   88 

Papago  woman,  with  her  children,  from  Bisani,  near  Caborca  88 

The  clown  at  the  great  feast  of  Santa  Rosa   92 

My  camp  at  Santa  Rosa   92 

Papago  ethnology   96 

Shrine  of  the  children's  sacrifice,  seen  from  the  west  ....  104 

Shrine  of  the  children's  sacrifice,  near  Santa  Rosa   104 

East  of  the  shrine  of  the  children's  sacrifice   104 

Papago  ethnology   no 

Desert  willow  in  bloom,  June   120 

Papago  woman  carrying  water   120 

The  dam  at  Santa  Rosa.    Made  by  the  Papagoes   120 

Pablo,  my  interpreter.    A  full-blooded  Papago   132 

The  old  way  of  hauling  freight  in  Mexico,  now  disappearing    .  136 

Bringing  bat  guano  to  Corral  railroad  station  in  the  Yaqui 

country   136 

Yaqui  chiefs  who  in  1909  made  peace  with  the  Mexican  Gov- 
ernment   136 

Ancient  fortifications  near  Trincheras,  District  of  Altar,  Sonora  140 

The  same  side  of  the  mountains,  viewed  at  five  miles  distance 

from  the  north   140 

Antiquities  of  the  Papagueria   142 

Antiquities  of  the  Papagueria   144 

The  church  in  old  Caborca   146 

Altar,  seen  from  the  west   146 

A  ranch,  west  of  Altar,  showing  the  indispensable  water  barrels  146 

Cow  eating  choya   152 

Cow  showing  vestiges  of  her  favorite  feeding  grounds  .    .    .    .  152 


ILLUSTRATIONS  xxiii 

FACING  PAGE 

Choya  {Opuntia  mamillata),  relished  as  food  by  the  cattle   .    .  152 

Feeding  on  mezquite  leaves   162 

Papago  women  bringing  in  wood,  La  Nariz   162 

Pictographs  near  La  Nariz   168 

Pictographs  near  Caborca   168 

The  nose  of  the  rock  which  gave  La  Nariz  its  name    .    .    .    .  168 

Ancient  pottery  vessels  of  the  Papagueria.    Excavated  by  Pa- 
pago Indians  near  Fresnal,  Arizona.    (Colored  plate)     ,    .  170 

Papago  woman,  La  Nariz   174 

The  principal  spring  at  Quitovac   174 

Agua  Dulce,  a  reappearance  of  Sonoita  River   180 

The  channel  at  the  beginning  of  Sonoita  River   180 

Salt  loads,  recently  discharged.    Papago  pack-saddles  in  the 

centre   184 

Papago  woman  "dry  washing"  gold  near  Quitovac     ....  184 

Approaching  storm.   View  from  Pinacate  top,  looking  south,  at 

sunset,  January  3   200 

Pinacate  from  the  east.   Commencement  of  the  lava  flow.  To 

the  right,  my  camp   200 

Belt  of  great  sand-hills  south  of  Pinacate   200 

Guadalupe  at  the  sacred  cave  of  Pinacate   208 

The  lonely  palo  fierro   222 

Greasewood  bushes   222 

Hauling  palo  fierro  branches  for  camp  fire  at  dusk   222 

Mountain  sheep,  female   228 

Tracks  of  beetles  (Eleodes)  on  sand  dune   228 

Crater  elegante   232 

The  watercourse  at  Tinaja  de  Los  Papagos   232 

Paso  de  Juana   236 

Tinajas  Altas   240 

Clemente:  Papago   240 


xxW  ILLUSTRATIONS 

FACING  PAGE 

Filling  our  barrels  and  canteens  at  Tinaja  del  Tule     ....  240 

Laguna  Prieta,  from  the  east   244 

In  the  sand  dunes  before  arriving  at  Laguna  Prieta    ....  244 

Indians  burning  reeds  and  grass  on  the  Colorado  River  .    .    .  248 

Approaching  Laguna  Prieta   248 

A  stranded  porpoise   256 

Row  of  curlews  on  the  beach   256 

The  delta  of  the  Colorado  River  showing  clumps  of  bulrushes 

(Tulare  s)   256 

Clayey  sand  clilFs  of  the  gulf   256 

A  pozo  at  Salina  Grande,  seen  from  the  east   262 

The  same  pozo,  seen  from  the  west   262 

Salina  Grande  in  its  northern  part,  showing  many  of  the  pozos 

or  tulares   262 

A  pozo  at  the  edge  of  Salina  Grande   264 

A  pozo  at  Salina  Grande   264 

Beautiful  effects  of  wind  and  sand,  north-west  of  Pozo  del 

Caballo   272 

The  Pinacate  salt  deposit   272 

Leaving  La  Soda   286 

Sierra  Blanca,  southern  part,  seen  from  the  south   286 

Waiting  for  his  chance.    At  Los  Pozitos   286 

GEnothera  trichocalyx,  near  Sierra  del  Rosario   312 

(Enothera  trichocalyx,  near  Sierra  del  Rosario.    A  fine  growth  312 

(Enothera  trichocalyx,  south  of  Sierra  Blanca   312 

Clodomiro  digging  for  "roots  of  the  sands"  {Camotes)     .    .    .  318 

The  "roots  of  the  sands'^  {Ammohroma  sonorce)   318 

My  companions,  "Doctor"  Pancho  (to  the  left)  and  Pedro    .  318 

Sierra  del  Rosario,  northern  part   324 


ILLUSTRATIONS  xxv 

FACING  PAGE 

Cabeza  Prieta  Range.    An  interior,  looking  westward.    A  dry 

arroyo  at  the  bottom   324 

Papago:  Guadalupe,  my  companion  from  Quitovac    ....  344 

Papago:  Miguel,  medicine-man  from  La  Nariz   344 

Girl.    Parents:  Chinaman  and  Yaqui   344 

Boy.    Parents:  Spaniard  and  Papago   344 

Pima  granary.    Made  from  twisted  arrow  bush   350 

Hut  for  the  isolation  of  women   350 

Papago:     Rainbow,"  from  La  Nariz   350 

Designs  of  Papago  baskets   354 


Casa  Grande,  Arizona,  before  the  protecting  shed  was  erected 

Printed  with  map  showing  Papago  Rancherias 


MAPS 


Map  showing  Papago  Rancherias,  Present  and  Past 

Map  of  South-western  Arizona  and  North-western 
Sonora,  comprising  the  region  formerly  called 
Papagueria  


In  pocket  at 
end  of  volume 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


CHAPTER  I 

WESTWARD  BOUND— CIVILIZATION  IN  THE  WEST— TUCSON  PAST 
AND  PRESENT— VISIT  TO  SAN  XAVIER  DEL  BAG- THE  PAPAGO 
INDIAN  RESERVATION— ANCIENT  FORTIFICATIONS— NATIVE 
CEMETERIES  — ANTIQUITIES  — COURTSHIP  OF  THE  NIGHT- 
HAWKS 

In  May,  1909,  I  found  myself  on  a  train  westward 
bound  for  the  never-never  country.  Many  a  time  have  I 
crossed  the  North  American  continent  and,  coming  from 
the  East,  have  noticed  the  change  of  natural  conditions 
that  takes  place  west  of  Chicago.  One  begins  to  feel  the 
freedom  of  the  West,  the  air  is  very  bracing,  and  the  great 
plains  inspire  to  deeds  of  energy.  The  few  people  in  the 
Pullman  car  look  intent,  as  if  they  had  some  purpose  in 
life.  Tourists  seldom  travel  on  these  trains,  but  very 
often  consumptives  are  seen  on  their  way  to  the  land  of 
hope,  the  arid  regions  of  the  South-west  around  El  Paso, 
Tucson,  and  other  places. 

''Pardon  me  for  calling  you  mister.  Judge,"  said  one 
of  my  fellow-passengers  during  our  conversation.  He  was 
not  a  good  judge  himself,  I  am  afraid.  Another  one  to 
show  his  good-will  gave  me  the  title  of  colonel,  as  also  did 
the  negro  porters. 


2 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


"Why  do  you  want  to  discover  any  more  animals? 
We  have  enough  already,"  said  to  me  a  wise,  elderly  man 
from  California,  connecting  in  some  way  my  proposed 
expedition  with  the  discovery  of  animals. 

We  pulled  out  from  El  Paso  and,  in  a  newspaper  I 
had  just  bought,  I  read  these  rather  startling  lines: 

COWBOYS  AND  SHEEPMEN  FIGHT 
Fierce  Battle  at  Atchee,  Colo. 

SHEEPMEN  are  TIED  UP  AND  COWBOYS  THEN  SLAUGHTER  3,000  HEAD 

OF  SHEEP 

Grand  Junction,  Colo.,  May  20. — As  a  result  of  a  battle  between 
the  sheepmen  and  cowboys  on  a  contested  ranch  near  Atchee,  Colo., 
yesterday,  3,000  head  of  sheep  were  killed  and  two  sheepmen  injured, 
but  not  seriously.  According  to  the  reports  received  here  the  cowboys 
dashed  in  upon  the  herders  and  tied  them  to  trees  and  then  rode  among 
the  sheep,  killing  them.  The  slaughter  required  almost  a  day.  In 
order  to  prevent  the  news  from  leaking  out,  it  is  said,  the  cowboys  first 
cut  the  telephone  wires  and  then  made  their  escape  into  the  hills. 
Several  hours  later  the  sheep-herders  were  discovered  and  liberated. 

A  mining  man  from  the  West,  another  of  my  fellow- 
passengers,  cultivated  and  intelligent,  gave  me  light  on 
these  high-handed  proceedings  by  explaining  the  feuds 
between  cattlemen  and  sheepmen  as  due  to  the  fact  that 
cattle  will  not  graze  on  ground  where  sheep  have  fed. 
According  to  my  informant,  the  sheepmen  are  Mexicans. 
The  cattleowners  often  hire  renegades  to  do  their  bloody 
work.  In  a  battle  the  previous  year,  seven  men  had  been 
killed.    The  aggressors  are  masked  and  escape. 

This  incident  reminded  me  of  a  request  for  the  for- 
bearance of  the  audience  put  up  on  a  signboard  in  a  far 


FRONTIER  LIFE 


3 


Western  town,  ''Don't  shoot  us,  we  are  doing  our  best," 
and  the  advertisement  of  the  barber  in  a  mining  camp, 
*'  Ears  washed  without  extra  charge."  Such  are  the  act- 
uaHties  of  frontier  hfe,  but  we  should  not  be  led  to  wrong 
conclusions  about  that  great  Western  land  in  the  process 
of  making  and  its  virile,  hearty  population.  The  other 
side  to  the  picture  is  a  much  more  important  one,  and  it 
often  remains  obscure  to  those  who  do  not  know  the 
actual  conditions. 

Arizona,  which  concerns  us  here,  has  good  laws  and 
enforces  them.  Its  public-school  system  is  equal  to  the 
best  of  the  commonwealths  in  the  eastern  part  of  North 
America.  This  State,  which  includes  not  only  great 
mines,  cattle,  sheep,  and  angora  goat  ranches,  ostrich 
farms,  etc.,  but  a  steadily  growing  agriculture,  was  con- 
sidered a  useless  waste  of  desert  less  than  fifty  years  ago. 

As  for  Tucson,  where  I  made  my  first  head-quarters, 
one  is  surprised  at  the  business-like,  orderly  aspect  of 
everything.  In  Spanish  times  the  presidio,  or  fort,  of 
Tucson,  established  in  1776  on  its  removal  from  Tubac, 
resisted  many  a  siege  from  hostile  natives,  numbering  at 
times  over  a  thousand.  A  traveller  in  1863  describes  it 
as  ''the  head-quarters  of  vice,  dissipation,  and  crime. 
There  was  neither  government,  law,  nor  military  pro- 
tection. The  garrison  at  Tucson  confined  itself  to  its 
legitimate  business  of  getting  drunk  or  doing  nothing." 
To-day  on  the  same  site  one  finds  a  cosmopolitan,  well- 
laid-out,  and  clean  city  of  twenty-four  thousand  inhabi- 
tants. In  1880  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  arrived 
here,  bringing  it  in  more  direct  touch  with  the  rest  of  the 


4 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


world.  The  people  met  on  the  streets  or  in  the  stores 
are  invariably  civil  and  they  are  much  more  so  than  under 
the  same  conditions  in  New  York,  besides  being  more 
wide-awake.  The  citizens  are  public-spirited,  prosper- 
ous, and  progressive,  and,  best  of  all,  they  respect  and 
favor  learning,  as  evidenced  by  the  welcome  extended  to 
the  Desert  Botanical  Laboratory  of  the  Carnegie  Institu- 
tion, for  the  study  of  desert  plants,  which  was  given  land 
in  the  vicinity.  Tucson  is  the  seat  of  the  University  of 
Arizona  which,  from  the  modest  beginning  in  the  year 
1 89 1  of  a  single  building  among  the  greasewood  of  the 
mesa,  has  advanced  to  an  institution  of  much  importance. 
It  has  a  school  of  mines  and  an  agricultural  experiment 
station. 

The  university  buildings  are  charmingly  situated  in  a 
park  of  forty  acres,  where  clusters  of  the  native  palo 
verde  attracted  my  attention,  displaying  in  an  exuberant 
manner  their  yellow  spring  blossoms,  which  appear  be- 
fore the  leaves.  Plants  peculiar  to  the  desert  region 
have  been  planted  in  the  garden,  among  them  a  maguey 
{agave  americana),  the  renowned  mescal  of  Mexico,  a 
member  of  the  amaryllis  family  to  which  the  common 
garden  narcissus  belongs.  Members  of  this  family  the 
so-called  century  plants,  have  large  and  beautiful  spikes 
of  creamy  white  flowers  which  are  the  supreme  effort  of 
their  lives  and  after  the  production  of  which  they  die, 
though  able  to  propagate  themselves  by  shoots.  The 
one  in  question  was  seventeen  years  old  when  it  pro- 
duced stalk  and  flowers.  The  stalk,  more  than  twenty 
feet  high,  grew,  according  to  Prof.  J.  J.  Thornber,  in 


In  a  Tucson  garden 


! 


Where  peace  reigns  supreme.    San  Xavier 


TUCSON 


5 


six  weeks,  the  maximum  growth  in  one  day  having  been 
eleven  inches.  For  comparison,  it  may  be  mentioned 
that  the  Virginia  creeper,  one  of  the  most  rapid-growing 
plants,  has  been  known  to  make  four  inches  a  day,  but 
it  needs  deep  and  rich  soil  and  much  water. 

Tucson  is  situated  on  the  Santa  Cruz  River,  a  small 
stream,  but  important  because  of  its  permanency.  A 
fertile  valley  with  alluvial  soil  surrounds  its  course,  which 
offered  the  most  direct  route  for  the  early  Spanish  ex- 
plorers. It  disappears  in  the  sand  before  reaching  the 
Gila  River.  Tucson  is  2,430  feet  above  sea-level.  The 
name  is  a  corruption  of  the  Papago  Tjukson,  meaning 
''at  the  foot  of  {son)  the  black  hill  (tjuk),''  The  word 
tjuk"^  designates  the  color  black,  which  also  by  inference 
means  black  hill.  Originally  Tjukson  was  a  Papago 
rancheria  on  the  river,  at  the  foot  of  a  small  hill  near  that 
on  which  the  Desert  Laboratory  is  now  situated.  The 
climate  is  hot  in  summer,  the  records  of  1909  showing 
that  there  were  only  three  days  in  the  year  when  the  sun 
did  not  shine;  still  it  is  a  very  healthy  region,  and  con- 
sumptives prolong  life  and  are  even  cured  by  living  here. 
On  January  27,  1888,  Tucson,  according  to  reports,  had 
four  or  five  inches  of  snow  on  the  ground. 

About  nine  miles  south  of  Tucson,  on  the  fertile 
plains  along  the  Santa  Cruz  River,  is  the  old  church  of 
the  Mission  of  San  Xavier  del  Bac.  There  has  been 
much  speculation  in  regard  to  the  meaning  of  the  word 
Bac.  It  is  the  Spanish  rendering  of  Vak,  the  Papago 
name  of  the  locality,  and  means:  "where  the  river  reap- 

*  There  should  be  a  sHght  s  sound  before  /. 


6 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


pears  in  the  sand,  a  'sink'/'  This  fine  Jesuit  edifice  does 
not,  according  to  Mr.  Ad.  F.  BandeHer,  date  further  back 
than  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century,  though  an 
attempt  at  building  a  church  at  San  Xavier  appears  to 
have  been  made  in  1699.  It  was  once  a  rich  mission; 
the  architecture  is  the  usual  type  of  Spanish  renaissance, 
but  better  preserved  than  is  the  case  with  other  missions 
of  the  South-west. 

The  church  is  at  present  surrounded  by  a  reservation 
of  the  Papago  Indians.  The  ethnologist  will  find  these 
Indians  more  worthy  of  a  visit  than  he  would  anticipate, 
because,  owing  to  the  half  nomadic  habits  of  the  tribe, 
natives  of  the  interior  districts  are  constantly  to  be  found 
there.  From  the  tower  of  the  old  church  I  had  a  fine 
view  of  the  extensive  wheat-fields  which  the  Indians  at 
that  time — the  beginning  of  June — were  harvesting,  and 
which  presented  a  marked  contrast  to  the  barren  appear- 
ance of  some  settlements  of  poverty-stricken  Mexican  and 
Yaqui  families  that  live  on  low  hills  beyond  the  river,  just 
outside  of  the  reservation.  Horses  were  gorging  them- 
selves in  the  green  fields  of  barley.  Some  of  the  Indians 
have  mowing  machines  that  cost  fifty  dollars  each.  I  was 
told  that  the  United  States  Government  supplied  agri- 
cultural implements.  The  ambition  of  these  natives  still 
reaches  out  for  a  hay-press,  which  would  cost  in  Tucson 
nearly  four  hundred  dollars,  and  a  bog-rake."  ''That's 
all  we  ask  for,"  the  Papago  policeman  said  to  me.  He 
had  a  buggy  with  two  horses,  which  he  lent  me.  They 
were  lazy  and  did  not  take  any  of  the  unexpected  lib- 
erties usual  with  horses   raised  by  Indians.  Sewing 


IN  TOUCH  WITH  NATURE 


7 


machines  and  many  of  the  white  man's  kitchen  utensils 
are  seen  in  the  houses;  nevertheless,  the  people  seem 
very  Indian.  When  spoken  to  in  Enghsh  they  would  not 
answer  me,  but  they  would  in  Spanish,  the  women  always 
smiling  when  addressed  in  that  tongue. 

Some  years  had  passed  since  I  had  been  among  Ind- 
ians and  I  again  enjoyed  their  gentle  and  sympathetic 
manner.  When  I  reached  there,  one  woman  was  toast- 
ing green  garbanzos;  she  was  stirring  the  large  peas  in 
the  shallow  earthen-wear  dish  in  which  corn  cakes  are 
baked,  and  she  hospitably  offered  me  a  few,  presenting 
them  in  a  beautiful  tray  with  interwoven  symbolic  fig- 
ures. Another  woman  offered  me  wheat  grains  which 
she  was  toasting  on  a  potsherd.  They  were  simple 
dishes,  these,  but  how  good  they  tasted  because  they 
were  well  cooked!  None  of  the  many  civilized  man's 
machine-made  productions  of  a  similar  kind  bear  com- 
parison with  the  plain  cuisine  of  the  nimble  housewife 
of  the  red  man.  Although  dogs  here  were  somewhat 
numerous,  they  did  not  molest.  Indian  dogs  are  seldom 
fierce,  but  these  did  not  even  bark  when  we  approached 
the  houses;  they  would  look  at  us  unconcernedly  and 
lay  their  heads  down  again. 

The  dwellings  here,  rectangular  in  shape,  are  usu- 
ally adobe  huts  or  light  sheds  made  of  sunflower  stalks 
placed  upright,  three  or  four  sahuaro  ribs,  which  are 
tied  horizontally,  binding  these  together.  The  walls  are 
usually  plastered  both  inside  and  out  with  mud  mixed 
with  straw;  the  uprights  are  forked  poles  of  mezquite 
and  the  same  kind  of  pole  always  stands  in  the  middle 


8 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


of  the  house  to  support  the  roof.  The  rafters,  too,  are 
of  mezquite,  the  roof  consisting  besides  of  a  layer  of 
coarse  grass  called  sacaton  and  another  of  wheat  straw, 
on  top  of  which  is  placed  mud.  The  roof  is  slightly 
raised  in  the  middle  in  order  that  the  rain  may  more 
easily  run  off;  the  floor  is  earthen.  Huts  made  of  up- 
right ocotillo  sticks,  but  otherwise  similar,  are  also  seen. 
A  window  is  rarely  found  in  the  houses.  Generally 
there  is  attached  to  the  house  a  shed  called  in  Spanish 
jacaly  a  light  roof  resting  on  four  or  six  forked  upright 
poles,  which  furnishes  a  grateful  shade.  Here  the  cook- 
ing is  done,  and  here  the  family  is  usually  found  sitting. 
The  dwellings  in  the  rest  of  the  Papagueria  are  of  a  sim- 
ilar type,  real  adobe  houses  being  seldom  met  with.  The 
dome-shaped  grass  huts  of  the  natives  are  also  not  un- 
common in  the  interior  districts  of  southern  Arizona. 

Pottery  making  is  the  greatest  industry  among  these 
Indians,  and  wherever  I  went  in  the  mornings  I  could 
hear  the  soft  hammering  of  the  wooden  paddle  against 
the  clay  that  had  been  moulded  into  shape.  A  round 
smooth  stone  is  held  by  the  other  hand  against  the  inner 
wall  of  the  vessel.  All  the  pottery  makers  are  women, 
and  their  faces  betray  much  quiet  intelligence.  The 
pottery  ware  of  the  Papago,  though  of  fairly  good 
quality,  cannot  be  compared  with  that  of  the  Pueblo 
Indians,  especially  in  regard  to  designs.  It  is  useful, 
though,  and  finds  a  ready  sale  in  Tucson. 

The  Indians  who  live  here  number  about  seven  hun- 
dred, and  they  seem  contented  and  happy.  One  cir- 
cumstance which  contributes  to  their  happiness  and 


THE  BLACK  HILLS 


9 


gives  great  cause  for  satisfaction  to  those  interested  in 
the  welfare  of  the  red  man,  is  the  prohibition  against 
selHng  brandy  to  the  Indians.  Through  the  constant 
vigilance  of  specially  detailed  men  the  law  is  enforced, 
at  least  on  the  reservation.  I  was  informed  that  forty- 
five  convictions  for  the  sale  of  liquor  to  the  Indians  had 
been  secured  in  the  Federal  Court  at  Tucson  which  had 
just  then  closed  its  session.  The  penalty  is  usually  two 
years  in  the  penitentiary,  together  with  a  fine,  and  still 
there  are  always  people  willing  and  anxious  to  sell  to 
the  Indians  an  abominable,  poisonous  liquor  called 
''port-wine"  at  twenty-five  cents  a  quart  bottle. 

Near  San  Xavier  are  five  hills,  running  more  or  less 
in  the  general  direction  of  east  and  west,  of  volcanic  for- 
mation, and  dark  in  color.  They  are  each  and  all  called 
by  the  Papago  tjuk  (black).  A  further  characteriza- 
tion is  given  as  to  which  mountain  is  meant,  by  ''the 
black  hill  where  the  cemetery  is,"  "the  black  hill  on  the 
other  side  of  the  river,"  and  so  on.  I  ascended  one  of 
these  hills,  situated  three  miles  west  of  the  mission  church, 
which,  like  a  great  many  others  of  the  South-west,  is  sur- 
mounted by  fortifications  of  ancient  people.  These  con- 
sist mainly  of  two  rows  of  stone  walls  which  at  short 
intervals  run  for  about  two  hundred  yards  irregularly 
along  the  northern  side  of  the  summit.  The  trail  from 
below  cuts  through  them.  The  walls,  four  feet  high  and 
ten  or  fifteen  feet  wide  at  the  base,  consist  of  loose  stones 
thrown  together  without  any  attempt  at  system. 

On  the  top  small  enclosures,  or  corrals,  of  upright, 
medium-sized  stones  were  noted;  here  the  ancients  lived 


lO 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


perhaps  during  sieges,  each  family  in  its  enclosure.  I 
found  later  that  those  Papagoes  who  lived  recently  in  the 
sand  dune  country  of  Sonora  had  similar,  though  cruder, 
arrangements  at  their  camps.  In  the  winter,  when  much 
grass  is  growing  on  the  top  of  the  mountain,  the  Indians 
keep  their  horses  there  on  pasture.  The  rest  of  the  vege- 
tation of  the  hill  consists  mainly  of  a  bush  with  almost 
white  leaves,  encelia  farinosa,  appropriately  named  the 
white  brittle  bush  by  Dr.  William  T.  Hornaday.  The 
leaves  have  the  characteristics  indicated  by  the  name 
and,  with  their  stems,  have  a  very  strong  aromatic  odor. 
The  branches  exude  a  yellow  gum  which  the  Papago 
children  use  as  chewing  gum,  for  they  indulged  in  this 
unattractive  habit  long  before  certain  classes  of  Ameri- 
cans included  it  among  the  pleasures  of  life.  The  men 
also  applied  it  as  a  varnish  over  the  painted  part  of  an 
arrow,  warming  it  first.  The  rounded  and  symmetrical 
shape  of  this  bush  is  in  evidence  everywhere  in  the  desert 
region.  The  Mexicans  call  it  herba  del  vaso,  because  the 
gum  is  supposed  to  cure  pain  in  the  vaso  (the  left  side 
below  the  ribs).  It  is  warmed  and  smeared  on,  and  is 
considered  more  efficacious  than  a  porous  plaster. 

These  bushes  grow  in  desert  fashion  with  such  regu- 
larity of  intervals  that  they  appear  as  if  planted,  and 
they  covered  in  a  pleasing  way  the  dark  sides  of  the  moun- 
tain, especially  toward  the  south,  where  also  appeared, 
here  and  there,  the  lofty  columns  of  the  giant  cactus  or 
sahuaro  (cereus  giganteus).  That  wonderful  creation  of 
the  desert,  however,  does  not  often  inhabit  mountains, 
for  the  reason  that  most  of  their  soil  has  been  washed 


BURIAL  CUSTOMS 


II 


away,  but  on  lesser,  mostly  volcanic  hills  like  this  one, 
it  is  seen,  though  on  the  south  side  alone.  Dr.  D.  T. 
MacDougal  informs  me  that  farther  south  and  east  in 
the  Sonora  Desert,  down  toward  Hermosillo,  before  reach- 
ing the  plant's  extreme  limit  of  habitat,  it  prefers  to  grow 
on  the  north  side. 

The  hill  notable  for  its  cemetery  is  much  smaller  and 
quite  low,  and  rises  back  of  the  Indian  houses.  The 
Papagoes  wrap  their  dead  in  a  new  suit  of  cotton  cloth, 
and  place  the  corpse  on  the  ground,  building  up  a  small 
artless  stone  chamber  four  feet  high  over  it.  In  other 
parts  of  the  Papago  country  the  natives  make  a  hole  in 
the  ground  of  sufficient  depth  to  hold  the  dead  in  a  sit- 
ting position,  erecting  over  it  the  usual  protection.  The 
roof  of  the  chamber  consists  of  mezquite  or  palo  verde 
poles,  taken  from  the  deceased  man's  own  house  which, 
so  to  speak,  follows  him  to  the  grave.  On  top  some 
stones  are  heaped.  Many  such  chambers  are  in  time 
joined  together  and  form  singular  looking  structures, 
ugly  and  irregular  in  shape,  being  at  the  widest  part 
from  twenty  to  thirty  feet  across.  After  the  lapse  of 
some  time  the  roof  may  fall  in,  allowing  a  peep  down  at 
the  desiccated  human  remains,  near  which  may  have 
been  placed  objects  such  as  arrow  stretchers,  plumes, 
ornaments,  and  trinkets.  I  often  later  saw  pottery  ves- 
sels that  had  contained  food  or  drink  standing  near  the 
newly  erected  chambers.  Where  there  are  trees  near  by, 
bundles  of  clothing  for  the  use  of  the  departed  in  the 
next  life  may  be  seen  among  the  branches.  Four  thin, 
upright  sticks  of  ocotillo,  which  had  been  placed  in  a 


12 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


small  quadrangle,  protruded  about  one  and  a  half  feet 
from  the  middle  of  the  roof  of  some  of  the  chambers 
near  San  Xavier. 

Such  agglomerations  of  mortuary  chambers  were  lo- 
cated on  all  sides  of  the  small  hill,  except  toward  the  east, 
some  low  down,  some  high  up.  I  counted  thirty-one. 
Most  of  the  Indians  that  die  in  the  neighborhood  are  no 
doubt  still  adding  to  the  number  and  size  of  these  com- 
posite burials  of  the  Black  Hill  Cemetery,  though  a  few 
make  use  of  the  Cemetery  of  the  Baptized,  as  the  Cath- 
olic cemetery  is  called.  On  the  llano,  at  the  foot  of  the 
fortification  hill  described  above,  is  another  large  heap 
of  mortuary  chambers,  which  the  Indians  call  the  Level 
Ground  Cemetery.  The  dead  are  never  mentioned. 
The  sons,  and  not  the  daughters,  inherit  from  the  de- 
ceased. 

Just  north  of  the  Indian  village,  on  the  east  side  of 
the  river,  are  several  insignificant  looking  earth  mounds, 
where  pieces  of  antiquity  consisting  of  stone  implements, 
pottery  vessels,  etc.,  are  constantly  being  found  in  small 
numbers.  Such  ancient  village  sites  are  common  along 
the  river  and  adjoining  arroyos,  and  in  turning  up  the  soil 
of  the  river  plain  the  Indians  encounter  stone  axes,  etc. 

It  may  be  of  interest  to  note  that  in  excavating  a 
dam,  fifty  miles  west  of  Tucson,  a  number  of  ancient 
earthen-ware  and  stone  implements  were  found  and,  with 
them,  curiously  enough,  two  solid  balls  of  rubber,  one 
weighing  eight  ounces.  These  no  doubt  were  made 
from  the  now  famous  rubber  substitute  of  northern 
Mexico,  which  is  produced  from  a  plant  called  guayule. 


Threshing  wheat.    Sax  Xax  ier 


NIGHTHAWKS  IN  SPRING  TIME 


By  chewing  the  leaves  and  stalks  the  Indians  were  able 
to  bring  out  the  rubber.  Small  quantities  of  this  plant 
are  growing  near  Tucson. 

At  San  Xavier,  nighthawks,  also  called  goatsuckers, 
flew  about  in  great  numbers  every  evening  at  the  sunset 
hour,  often  settling  on  the  ground  among  the  greasewood 
bushes.  As  is  well  known,  their  call  when  flying  much 
resembles  that  of  the  bleating  of  a  goat,  but  seated  on  the 
ground  they  would  emit  an  entirely  different  and  pleas- 
anter  sound,  like  that  produced  by  water  when  being 
poured  out  of  a  bottle,  only  very  much  louder.  This 
species  was  the  Texas  nighthawk  {chordeiles  acutipennis 
texensis). 

It  was  the  month  of  June,  their  mating  time,  and 
they  were  calling  out  so  eagerly  that  slight  notice  was 
taken  of  my  trying  to  photograph  them  with  my  kodak. 
On  horseback  they  were  easily  approached  within  fifteen 
feet,  but  it  was  at  first  extremely  difficult  to  discover 
their  presence  on  the  ground,  so  much  does  the  bird 
resemble  its  surroundings.  Only  by  paying  attention  to 
the  exact  spot  where  they  had  settled  could  I  discover 
their  whereabouts;  after  a  little  while  the  snow-white 
band  under  their  throats  would  help  to  betray  their 
presence. 

I  was  observing  through  my  field-glass  how  one  of 
them,  singing  with  much  perseverance,  swelled  out  its 
throat  each  time  the  note  was  emitted,  its  tail  and  wings 
trembling  simultaneously,  when  suddenly  another  night- 
hawk  appeared  behind  me,  darting  swiftly  past  me  to- 
ward the  object  of  my  observation,  and  emitting  at  the 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


same  time  some  peculiarly  sweet  notes.  They  must  have 
sounded  like  soft  whispers  of  love,  for  they  were  imme- 
diately answered  by  similar  notes,  but  briefer  and  of 
a  more  decisive  character,  and  the  bird  on  the  ground 
was  carried  into  the  highest  ecstasy.  For  a  second  or 
two  the  whole  bird  trembled,  spreading  out  its  beautiful 
tail  like  a  fan  and  calling  out;  then  it  took  to  its  wings 
and  the  two  flew  away  in  the  happy,  easy  zigzags  in 
which  these  birds  seem  to  revel. 

They  settled  on  the  side  of  a  small  hill  near  by.  What 
became  of  the  aggressive  female  I  could  not  ascertain, 
but  the  male  continued  to  sound  its  gurgling  notes,  and 
I  approached  him  repeatedly  on  my  horse  as  he  sat  on 
the  shady  side  of  the  hill  while  the  sun  was  setting.  The 
enlargement  of  the  pure  white  band  across  the  throat 
made  it  quite  easy  to  discover  him  even  at  a  distance  of 
forty  or  fifty  feet,  though  unfortunately  the  poor  light 
precluded  the  possibility  of  a  photograph.  I  experi- 
enced the  same  thrilling  joy  in  following  the  birds  with 
my  camera  as  I  formerly  did  when  I  killed  them. 

Part  of  the  reservation  consists  of  a  large  and  very 
fine  forest  of  mezquite  trees,  some  of  which  have  grown 
to  considerable  size.  The  Indians  help  to  supply  Tuc- 
son with  wood  from  these  trees.  In  making  a  trip 
through  the  quiet  woods,  I  heard  everywhere  the  call  of 
Gambel's  quail  Qophortyx  gambeli),  the  most  common 
game  bird  in  Arizona;  also  jack-rabbits  and  coyotes 
were  seen.  The  mezquites  were  at  their  best  in  their 
light  green,  fresh-looking  foliage,  and  on  Sundays  these 
woods,  which  in  less  arid  regions  would  not  be  valued 


LACK  OF  CONSIDERATION 


very  highly,  are  used  as  picnic  grounds  by  the  hard- 
working people  of  Tucson.  Lovers  of  nature  find  com- 
fort among  the  trees  although  they  give  little  shade,  but 
they  are  the  only  woods  within  a  reasonable  distance  of 
town. 

Formerly  some  magnificent  cotton  trees,  near  the 
Indian  agency  of  the  reservation,  used  to  be  the  objec- 
tive point  of  picnic  excursions.  There  were  no  less  than 
twenty  of  these  old  trees  that  gave  splendid  shade  dur- 
ing the  fierce  heat  of  the  summer.  The  crowds,  as  is 
their  careless  habit  in  America,  used  to  leave  newspapers, 
baskets,  and  peanuts  strewn  about  the  ground,  and  they 
would  throw  empty  cans  into  the  alfalfa  fields  beyond 
the  fence.  The  owner,  much  annoyed,  posted  warnings 
and  prohibitions  which  were  apparently  taken  lightly; 
for,  finally,  to  prevent  this  nuisance,  he  resorted  to  the 
incredibly  drastic  measure  of  cutting  down  those  superb 
trees  and  making  firewood  of  them. 


CHAPTER  II 


THE  PAPAGUERIA— ITS  NATURAL  FEATURES— SIERRAS  AND  LLANOS 
—SMALL  RAINFALL— HIGH  TEMPERATURE— REMARKABLE  AD- 
APTATION OF  PLANT  LIFE— FAUNA— THE  PAPAGO,  THE  GREAT 
PEOPLE  OF  THE  DESERT— FIRST  ENCOUNTER  WITH  THE 
WHITES— PRESENT  CONDITIONS 

The  Papago  Indians  of  to-day,  the  principal  natives 
of  the  desert,  hve  in  Arizona  to  the  west  and  south-west 
of  Tucson,  as  far  as  the  Growler  Mountains  in  the  west, 
the  Gila  River  in  the  north,  and  the  range  of  Baboqui- 
vari  in  the  east.  In  the  neighboring  state  of  Sonora, 
Mexico,  a  number  of  them  are  scattered,  roughly  speak- 
ing, from  the  Altar  River,  in  the  east,  as  far  as  Quitovac 
and  Sonoita  in  the  west,  most  of  them  at  present  living 
near  the  boundary  line.  Until  recent  times  they  were 
found  as  far  as  the  Colorado  River.  They  occupy  much 
the  same  land  as  they  did  when  first  discovered  in  the 
seventeenth  century  by  the  Spaniards.  The  region  was 
early  named  Papagueria,  or,  in  its  greater  extension, 
Pimeria  Alta.  It  is  part  of  the  great  arid  region  called 
the  Sonora  Desert. 

The  main  part  of  the  Papagueria  slopes  down  from 
an  elevation  of  three  thousand  feet  or  more,  in  south- 
eastern Arizona,  slowly,  and  to  the  casual  observer  im- 
perceptibly, for  some  two  hundred  miles  toward  the  Gulf 
of  California ;  its  northern  part  gradually  descends  toward 
the  Gila  River.    A  striking  feature  in  its  topography  is 

i6 


DESERT  RIVERS 


17 


a  number  of  minor  mountain  ranges  or  sierras,  varying 
from  seven  to  thirty  miles  in  length,  and  running  more 
or  less  in  the  same  general  direction  of  south-east  to 
north-west.  Their  usual  elevation  above  the  sea  may  be 
placed  at  three  or  four  thousand  feet,  although  some  in 
the  north  rise  as  high  as  nine  thousand,  and  some  in  the 
south  are  as  low  as  a  thousand  feet.  The  mountains 
have  undergone  a  tremendous  erosion  and  at  a  distance 
give  the  erroneous  impression  of  being  entirely  devoid  of 
plant  life.  Often  the  zigzag  profile  of  their  crests  re- 
sembles a  flash  of  lightning.  There  is  a  good  deal  of 
mineral  wealth  in  the  region,  the  western  Papagueria 
being  part  of  a  great  auriferous  belt  that  stretches  south- 
ward from  California  and  Nevada.  Oddly  enough,  the 
veins  of  ore  very  often  follow  the  same  general  direction 
as  the  sierras,  south-east  to  north-west.  The  geological 
formation  is  granite  and  recent  volcanic. 

The  intervening  valleys,  or  ahras^  as  the  Mexicans 
call  them,  are  rather  flat,  and  are  formed  by  the  detritus, 
which  is  naturally  higher  and  coarser  along  the  moun- 
tain sides  than  in  the  more  central  part,  where  tillable, 
often  extremely  fertile,  soil  is  found.  Few  of  the  so-called 
rivers  retain  water  for  more  than  a  few  hours  after  a 
downpour  of  rain,  and  the  few  that  show  permanent 
water  in  certain  limited  localities,  as,  for  instance,  the 
Santa  Cruz  River  in  Arizona,  lose  themselves  in  the 
desert,  or,  as  the  Altar  and  Sonoita  Rivers  in  Sonora, 
reach  the  sea  only  after  a  heavy  rain. 

The  prevalence  of  dry  arroyos  with  gravelly  or  sandy 
beds  is  very  marked  in  these  valleys,  large  or  small;  they 


i8 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


are  probably  evidences  of  a  heavier  rainfall  than  these 
regions  now  have.  They  either  join  the  larger  rivers  or 
disappear  in  sand  dunes  or  playas.  Most  of  the  water 
runs  into  the  Altar  and  Sonoita  Rivers  in  the  south,  and 
some  to  the  Gila  River  in  the  north.  As  so  few  rivers 
have  a  permanent  water  supply,  water  has  often  to  be 
sought  elsewhere.  In  the  mountains  it  is  found  where 
natural  conditions  favor  the  gathering  of  rains  into  kettle 
holes  or  sockets,  forming  what  the  Mexicans  call  tinajas 
(natural  tanks).  They  are  nowhere  common  and  some 
sierras  do  not  contain  any.  In  the  south-western  part  of 
the  Papagueria,  toward  the  Colorado  and  Gila  Rivers, 
such  tinajas  are  the  only  water  to  be  found.  Some  last 
only  a  few  months  before  evaporating;  others,  having  a 
capacity  of  a  few  thousand  gallons,  may  last  a  year  or 
two.  In  the  flat  ''valleys"  between  ranges,  or,  to  use  an 
equally  common  expression,  on  the  llanos,  enterprising 
Americans  have  in  a  few  places  sunk  wells  in  connection 
with  mining  or  in  futile  attempts  at  cattle  raising. 

At  Tucson  the  annual  rainfall  of  the  region  ap- 
proaches twelve  inches  a  year,  and  at  Fort  Yuma,  on  the 
Colorado  River,  it  is  not  quite  three  inches.  The  heat 
is  great  during  four  months  of  the  summer,  a  maximum 
temperature  as  high  as  125°  F.  having  been  recorded  at 
Yuma.  In  June  the  surface  of  the  soil  during  the  day 
was  so  heated  that  I  could  not  stand  on  it  comforta- 
bly unless  I  wore  thick-soled  shoes.  Professor  Toumey 
found  that  the  highest  temperature  of  the  soil  at  the 
depth  of  one  inch  near  Tucson  reached  113°  F.  Its 
average  temperature  for  the  month  of  July  was  104.9°  F. 


Sierra  de  la  Basura,  Sonora.    Seen  from  the  south-west 

In  the  foreground  are  choyas  {Opuntia  fulgida) 


i 


I 


1 


An  exceptional  mountain  range  of  the  Papagueria 


A  characteristic  mountain  range  of  the  Fafagueria 


HOW  PLANTS  OBTAIN  MOISTURE 


In  winter,  as  might  be  expected,  the  nights  are  cold, 
the  temperature  frequently  falHng  below  the  freezing- 
point,  but  it  is  a  heahhy  cHmate  and  in  the  Sonora  part 
of  the  Papagueria,  Mexicans  have  been  known  to  Hve  to 
the  age  of  a  hundred  years  or  more. 

The  plant  life  of  such  a  country  must  present  much 
of  interest  yet  to  be  discovered.  Science  explains  that 
plants  derive  their  water  largely  from  a  very  thin  layer 
of  moisture  which,  by  capillary  attraction,  surrounds  and 
closely  adheres  to  every  particle  of  earth  and  sand  in 
which  the  plant  is  growing.  Even  after  the  sand  has 
become  perfectly  dry  to  the  touch  this  element  of  moist- 
ure is  present,  though  in  a  very  slight  degree.  Where 
the  soil  is  compact  this  moisture,  through  capillary  at- 
traction, tends  to  rise  to  the  surface,  there  to  evaporate 
from  the  joint  action  of  sun  and  wind.  If,  however,  the 
soil  at  the  surface  be  loosened,  the  moisture  does  not 
rise  so  high  nor  so  readily.  In  that  way  the  loose  soil 
acts  as  a  blanket,  protecting  the  deeper  soil  from  evapo- 
rating. Methods  have  of  late  years  been  adapted  which 
serve  to  pulverize  the  surface,  intensifying  the  action  of 
nature,  and  putting  *'dry  farming"  on  a  more  rational 
basis.  The  people  of  California  and  Kansas  know  about 
this,  and  practice  pulverizing. 

Contrary  to  the  popular  conception  of  deserts,  the 
one  in  question  has  a  vegetation,  wonderfully  adapted  to 
its  environment.  During  the  year  I  spent  there  I  never 
saw  any  plant,  bush,  or  tree  suffering  from  want  of  rain, 
in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  winter  passed  without  its 
customary   light   showers.    Nothing   appears  scorched 


20 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


from  the  sun,  for  desert  plants  are  slow  to  dry  up  as 
well  as  slow  to  grow.  Next  to  the  healthy  though  som- 
bre color  of  the  vegetation  and  the  scarcity  of  trees, 
that  which  strikes  the  observer  most  when  first  travel- 
ling in  the  desert  region  is  the  isolation  of  each  bush  or 
plant.  It  is  as  if  they  were  growing  in  a  nursery.  This 
arrangement  is  made  necessary  because  the  plants  need 
large  spaces  from  which  to  gather  the  scanty  desert 
moisture,  sending  their  roots  out  horizontally  all  around, 
or,  if  they  grow  in  the  bottoms  of  valleys  where  water  is 
not  too  far  below  the  surface,  sending  the  roots  over  fifty 
feet  down  to  reach  it. 

Whatever  grows  is  adapted  to  resist  the  fierce  heat 
of  the  summer  and  the  scarcity  of  rain.  With  some  plants 
their  structure  prevents  loss  of  water,  others  have  a 
means  of  storing  water,  which  is  the  case  with  the  cacti, 
the  juicy  pulp  of  which  may  save  the  thirsty  traveller's 
life.  The  water  supply  stored  in  the  bisnaga,  or  barrel 
cactus  {echinocactus)y  is  enough  to  keep  it  in  thriving 
condition  for  years.  There  is  no  need  to  die  from  thirst 
in  the  desert  where  this  cactus  grows.  In  the  coastal 
region  of  the  sand  dune  country  it  is  not  met  with,  but  it 
is  fairly  common  elsewhere.  Cutting  off  the  head  and 
crushing  the  inside  tissue  to  a  pulp,  one  may  obtain  a 
liquid  which  tastes  something  like  soda-water.  It  makes 
a  fair  substitute  for  water,  and  a  canteen  may  be  filled 
with  it,  though  it  does  not  keep  very  long;  however,  a 
new  supply  is  usually  not  difficult  to  obtain.  Horses 
and  donkeys  also  like  it.  Life  in  this  way  may  be  sus- 
tained for  many  days.  I  heard  of  a  Mexican  woman  who, 


DESERT  VEGETATION 


21 


having  become  demented  on  account  of  her  husband's 
death,  kept  herself  Hving  by  this  hquid  exclusively  for 
many  months  until  the  authorities  took  charge  of  her. 
Also  water  may  be  obtained  by  making  holes  in  a  sahu- 
aro,  for  instance,  by  a  pistol  shot,  although  it  is  bitter 
and  unpleasant  to  the  taste  in  comparison  with  the  juice 
of  the  barrel  cactus.  The  flora  of  this  desert,  according 
to  Dr.  D.  T.  MacDougal,  does  not  show  any  structural 
difference  from  species  of  moister  regions,  although  their 
mode  of  life  is  necessarily  very  different.  He  points  out 
that  seeds  of  many  of  them  remain  wholly  inactive  dur- 
ing the  summer  rains  that  are  accompanied  by  intense 
heat,  and  germinate  in  the  winter,  while  others  are  unaf- 
fected by  the  rains  of  winter  and  the  low  temperature, 
and  germinate  in  the  summer. 

The  most  common  of  all  the  vegetation  here  is  the 
greasewood  Qarrea  trident ata).  It  is  as  characteristic  of 
the  region  as  are  the  many  species  of  cacti  and  has  a 
much  less  limited  area  than  the  latter.  The  greasewood 
belongs  to  the  plains,  which  it  sometimes  covers,  and 
gives  them  the  appearance  from  a  distance  of  vast  ex- 
panses of  yellowish  green.  It  is  found  even  on  the  coast 
and  in  the  sand  dunes  half  buried  by  the  sand.  People 
call  it  useless,  but  the  Indians  and  Mexicans  know  better, 
as  we  shall  see  later  on.  The  mezquite,  the  palo  verde, 
and  the  ocotillo  are  all  useful  trees  to  the  native,  while 
the  cacti  and  certain  bushes  and  plants  furnish  him  with 
fruits,  edible  seeds,  and  vegetable  dishes,  a  few  of  which 
are  not  to  be  despised  by  a  more  fastidious  palate. 

The  fauna  of  the  region  includes  a  great  many  small 


22 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


rodents,  and  such  large  ones  as  the  jack-rabbit  and 
the  cotton-tail;  further,  white-tailed  deer,  mule-deer, 
mountain-sheep,  the  pronghorn  antelope,  the  lynx,  the 
mountain-lion,  the  gray  fox,  and  the  badger,  as  well  as, 
of  course,  the  coyote.  Among  the  birds  may  be  men- 
tioned turkey  vultures,  hawks,  and  falcons,  the  burrow- 
ing owl  and  other  owls,  among  them  the  diminutive 
elfowl  {rnicropallas  whitneyt),  the  smallest  of  its  kind  in 
America;  further,  ravens,  four  species  of  quail,  pigeons, 
the  roadrunner,  the  cactus  wren,  fly-catchers,  thrashers, 
etc.  Also  aquatic  birds,  as  wild  geese,  herons,  cranes, 
wild  ducks,  etc.,  are  seen  in  certain  suitable  localities. 

It  has  been  found  by  actual  experiment  that  small 
rodents  of  arid  regions  have  been  able  to  live  for  two  or 
three  years  on  hard  seeds  without  water.  The  animals  of 
the  desert  certainly  impress  one  as  having  made  them- 
selves considerably  independent  of  the  water  question. 
Holes  or  burrows  in  the  ground  indicating  the  presence 
of  rodents  or  of  the  badger  are  often  found  in  great 
numbers  miles  away  from  water,  the  only  water  being  a 
lonely  tinaja  in  a  distant  mountain  range,  of  which  it 
would  seem  strange  that  they  should  have  any  knowledge. 
With  the  roving  mountain-sheep  it  is  diff^erent,  although 
Mexicans  and  Indians  insist  that  they  drink  only  when 
rain  falls.  Similarly,  I  have  it  on  the  authority  of  an 
intelligent  and  observant  American  in  Sonora  that  while 
the  white-tailed  deer  in  eastern  Sonora  do,  those  in  its 
western  part  do  not  drink  unless  it  rains,  which  is  apt 
to  be  rarely.  He  has  never  seen  their  tracks  at  the  water- 
holes  there,  though  he  has  observed  them  elsewhere  and 


Rattlesnake 


ADAPTATION  TO  ENVIRONMENT 


often  not  far  from  water.  Another  American  of  many 
years'  residence,  who  had  shot  deer  south-east  of  Liber- 
tad,  confirmed  this.  Certain  it  is  that  domesticated  ani- 
mals of  arid  regions  are  much  more  enduring  than  those 
of  moister  regions.  Cattle  will  live  well  for  months  with- 
out any  other  water  than  that  of  the  juice  of  the  cacti, 
which  is,  besides,  their  principal  means  of  subsistence. 
Even  horses  do  not  come  in  to  drink  of  their  own  free 
will  every  day  during  the  winter.  In  my  travels  it  was 
the  usual  thing  during  the  winter  time  for  our  animals 
to  go  without  water  every  second  day;  such  is  the  cus- 
tom of  that  western  desert  country  and  its  animals  are 
in  surprisingly  good  condition.  On  one  occasion,  in 
March,  our  horses  and  mules,  travelling  during  the  day, 
had  no  water  for  seventy-six  hours.  It  was  only  the 
horses  that  suffered  and  this  was  more  from  the  quality 
of  the  water  than  from  the  lack  of  it.  There  is  one  do- 
mestic animal,  however,  man's  constant  companion,  the 
dog,  that  declines  to  adapt  itself  to  desert  conditions. 
Besides  suffering  from  thirst,  the  hot  soil  makes  its  feet 
sore  and  it  does  not  know  on  which  leg  to  stand.  Even 
the  dogs  of  the  Indians  when  travelling,  especially  in  the 
hot  season,  remain  behind  panting  in  what  little  shade 
there  may  be  under  the  bushes,  and  only  continue  their 
journey  in  the  coolness  of  the  evening. 

In  such  an  environment  live  the  Papago  Indians,  the 
people  of  the  desert.  They  are  a  Pima  tribe  and  speak 
the  same  language  as  the  Pima  Indians  with  some  va- 
riations of  dialect.  Their  number  reaches  perhaps  four 
thousand  five  hundred,  of  whom  not  over  seven  hundred 


24 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


live  in  Mexico.  The  name  Papago  is  usually  interpreted 
as  meaning  "bean  people."  Their  tribal  name  as  em- 
ployed  by  themselves  is  Ootam,  which  means  ^^the  people." 
They  call  the  Pima  Indians  Akimuri  Ootam,  ''river  peo- 
ple," referring  appropriately  to  their  habitat  on  the  Gila 
River.  The  Pima  call  the  Papago  Toono  Ootarriy  ''des- 
ert people." 

The  early  Spanish  missionaries  were  unable  to  exer- 
cise much  influence  over  this  tribe.  The  indefatigable 
Jesuit,  Father  Kino,  who  in  the  present  State  of  Sonora 
in  1687  established  his  first  mission,  Dolores,  travelled 
much  in  the  Papagueria  or  Pimeria  Alta,  as  far  as  the 
Gila  River  and  crossing  the  Colorado.  He  was  treated 
kindly  by  the  Papagoes;  but  they  have,  nevertheless, 
been  described  by  the  early  chroniclers  as  wild  and  dan- 
gerous. According  to  Mr.  Bandelier,  there  is  no  histor- 
ical record  left  of  their  customs  and  religion  beyond  that 
concerning  the  prevalence  of  witchcraft,  which  is  still 
much  in  evidence.  Even  up  to  recent  years  the  Papagoes 
made  short  work  of  medicine-men  suspected  of  witch- 
craft. 

The  topographical  position  of  the  missions  that  were 
established  was  such  that  with  the  forts,  or  presidios, 
they  formed  a  barrier  against  the  Apaches,  who  were  the 
main  obstacle  to  the  Christianizing  and  civilizing  efforts 
of  the  Spaniard.  Some  of  the  missions  of  the  *'  Province 
of  Sonora"  grew  to  be  very  rich  in  cattle  and  cultivated 
lands,  feeding,  as  a  recent  Mexican  author  says,  "a  mul- 
titude of  pagans  who  flocked  there  and  helped  in  the 
work  of  the  mission  when  needed."    Sometimes  the 


PAPAGOES  AS  OF  OLD 


25 


missions  furnished  the  troops  with  horses.  In  the  Papa- 
gueria  proper  there  were  well-to-do  missions  such  as 
Caborca,  but  the  nature  of  most  of  that  country  would 
indicate  that  they  were  generally  on  a  modest  scale. 
There  was  one  in  Sonoita  and  two  on  the  Gila  River. 
In  1 751-3  there  was  a  revolt  in  Pimeria  Alta,  and  in  1840 
the  Papagoes  again  revolted  against  the  government. 

With  the  expulsion  of  the  Jesuits  in  1767,  and  later 
of  the  Franciscans  in  1828,  the  missions  as  well  as  the 
forts  decayed  and  vanished.  Changing  political  condi- 
tions in  Mexico  also  contributed  toward  their  disappear- 
ance. To-day  the  former  missions  interest  few  and  are 
left  to  the  archaeologist  to  trace.  Such  has  been  the  fate 
also  of  the  missions  among  the  Yaqui,  Opata,  and  Seri 
Indians. 

As  for  the  Papago,  the  greater  part  of  the  tribe  never 
could  be  induced  to  live  in  pueblos,  or  villages,  which  was 
always  the  policy  of  the  Spanish  missionary.  In  spite  of 
the  efforts  of  the  Jesuits  and  Franciscans,  the  Papagoes 
are  still  living  in  their  rancherias  as  of  old,  half  nomadic 
in  habit,  resorting  in  the  winter  to  the  sierras  where 
water  is  more  plentiful  and  where  their  cattle,  horses, 
mules,  and  donkeys  find  good  grazing  ground.  In  the 
summer  they  move  to  the  broad,  flat  valleys  to  devote 
themselves  to  agriculture  which  is  made  possible  by  the 
aid  of  the  showers  that  fall  in  July  and  August.  They 
do  not  usually  pursue  irrigation  beyond  the  diverting  of 
rain  water  into  ditches.  In  the  summer  they  raise  maize, 
beans,  watermelons,  and  squashes,  and  in  the  winter 
when  infrequent  light  showers  usually  may  be  depended 


26  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


upon,  peas,  barley,  and  lentils  may  be  planted,  all  on  a 
small  scale,  according  to  Indian  habits.  Wheat,  which  is 
grown  in  November  and  harvested  in  May,  is  now  the 
most  important  crop. 

By  scooping  up  the  earth  they  make  dams  in  which 
rain-water  is  stored  for  household  use  as  well  as  for  their 
domestic  animals.  This  is  especially  the  case  at  the 
summer  rancherias.  Of  late  years  they  have  also  taken 
to  the  digging  of  wells,  going  sometimes  as  deep  as  sev- 
enty feet,  but  they  have  been  known  to  find  an  abun- 
dance of  water  at  a  depth  of  only  eighteen  feet.  Thus 
the  Papagoes,  though  sedentary  Indians,  have  distinct 
habitations  for  summer  and  winter.  The  aboriginal 
name  for  the  summer  rancherias  is  ooitak^  fields,  called 
by  the  Mexicans  temporales.  The  winter  rancherias  are 
called  kthiniy  where  there  are  houses  (^/),  and  these 
might  be  called  villages.  In  some  cases  the  summer  ran- 
cherias seem  to  be  considered  the  more  important  habi- 
tations, and  medicine  lodges  are  found  at  both. 

As  implacable  enemies  of  the  Apaches,  the  Papagoes 
were  of  some  assistance  to  the  early  missionaries  in  help- 
ing the  presidios  to  fight  their  savage  foes,  and  they  have 
several  times,  says  J.  F.  Velasco,  presented  the  govern- 
ment with  ears  and  scalps  of  Apaches  they  had  killed. 
Their  innate  enmity  to  the  Apaches  later  gained  them 
the  favor  of  the  Americans,  who  received  their  valuable 
assistance  in  campaigns  against  these  marauders.  They 
also  gained  the  good-will  of  the  Mexican  Government  by 
assisting  in  the  war  against  the  valiant  Yaqui  Indians. 

It  has  been  the  good  fortune  of  the  Papagoes  to  live 


ADVANTAGE  OF  AN  ARID  COUNTRY  27 


in  a  country  which  the  white  man  as  yet  has  not  found 
it  profitable  to  exploit  by  cattle  raising  or,  still  less,  by 
dry  farming.  Therefore,  they  have  so  far  been  left  alone 
in  their  native  country,  and  besides  they  have  even  come 
into  possession  of  a  few  wells  which  the  Americans  dug 
in  their  efforts  to  redeem  the  land.  These  natives  are 
thus  better  situated  than  most  of  the  tribes  of  North 
America. 

The  Papagoes  are  above  medium  height,  rather  dark 
in  color,  and  of  splendid  physique.  The  women  are  in- 
clined to  be  stout.  They  are  a  peaceful  but  at  the  same 
time  courageous  people  and  show  much  intelligence. 
They  are  hospitable,  as  becomes  a  desert  people,  and  if 
food  is  being  prepared  in  the  house  when  a  stranger 
comes,  some  of  it  is  offered  to  him,  be  he  Indian,  Mexi- 
can, or  American. 

In  the  central  part  of  the  Papagueria,  especially  in 
the  large  valley  of  Santa  Rosa  and  the  adjacent  Quijotoa 
and  Comobabi  ranges,  they  live  happy  days  without 
much  interference  from  the  whites.  Some  of  the  sum- 
mer rancherias  astonished  me  by  their  extent  of  land 
fenced  by  wooden  piles  and  poles,  but  in  outlying  dis- 
tricts many  are  forced  to  seek  work  from  the  whites,  by 
whom  they  are  much  valued  as  laborers  in  the  making 
of  railroads,  irrigation  ditches,  and  in  mining.  The  part 
of  the  tribe  that  lives  in  Sonora  is  much  more  disrupted; 
they  have  lost  most  of  their  lands  and  are  largely  ser- 
vants of  the  Mexicans,  doing  efficient  work  as  vaqueros 
(cowboys),  miners,  etc.  The  Papagoes  also  know  how 
to  "dry  wash"  gold  at  the  placer  mines,  many  of  which 


28  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


are  found  in  Sonora,  and  the  discovery  of  one  or  two 
large  placer  mines  has  been  due  to  these  Indians. 

The  Papagoes  are  by  no  means  badly  off,  as  a  rule, 
and  they  manage  to  make  a  good  living  where,  so  far, 
the  white  man's  efforts  have  failed.  Their  herds,  adapt- 
ing themselves  to  the  arid  conditions,  are  increasing  and 
making  the  Indian  prosperous  and  comfortable.  Good 
mules  now  carry  burdens  which  his  wife  or  he  himself 
formerly  had  to  toil  under;  cheese  is  made  from  the  milk 
of  their  cows  and  sold  or  used  for  their  own  consump- 
tion, and,  above  all,  they  have  wheat  and  maize  in  suffi- 
cient quantities  to  last  them  all  the  year  round.  They 
also  have  wheat  and  occasionally  some  head  of  cattle  to 
sell,  obtaining  in  return  commodities  of  civilized  life. 
The  white  man's  kitchen  utensils  are  being  acquired, 
and  the  women  have  begun  to  find  it  more  convenient  to 
use  flour  than  to  grind  the  grain  on  the  metate.  No 
native  race,  though  keeping  its  language,  can  help  chang- 
ing its  ideas  under  such  conditions.  In  a  very  few  years 
there  will  be  no  more  interest  attached  to  the  Papago 
than  to  the  native  descendant  of  the  once  proud  Aztec 
in  the  suburbs  of  the  City  of  Mexico. 

Although  the  Papago  in  Arizona  always  insists  upon 
speaking  his  own  language,  still  he  is  rapidly  losing  his 
aboriginal  beHefs,  customs,  and  habits;  even  basketwork, 
for  which  the  women  of  the  tribe  were  noted,  is  falling 
into  decay.  Both  in  Arizona  and  Sonora  the  Indians 
have  completely  adopted  the  white  man's  garments. 
Some  old  man  may  still  be  found  in  the  more  remote 
parts  wearing  his  aboriginal  apparel,  consisting  of  a 


THE  PASSING  OF  THE  INDIAN  29 

breech  cloth  around  the  loins,  but  this  is  getting  to  be 
an  extremely  rare  sight,  and  it  must  be  confessed  that 
the  ready-made  blue  overalls  of  the  white  laboring  man 
of  the  West,  the  colored  shirt,  a  picturesque  neckerchief, 
and  gray  felt  hat  with  straight  brim  are  quite  becoming 
to  the  young  bucks  with  their  superb,  lithe,  and  supple 
figures,  with  somewhat  narrow  hips.  No  man  wears  his 
hair  long  any  more,  but  tattooing  marks  in  the  face  are 
still  seen  on  men  and  women  of  the  former  generation  in 
the  Santa  Rosa  valley,  where  ancient  customs  and  beliefs 
have  been  preserved  longer  than  anywhere  else.  In  this 
extensive  valley  are  also  found  the  most  important  ran- 
cherias. 

I  was  glad  to  have  visited  these  Indians  while  there 
was  still  something  of  the  ancient  atmosphere  left  in  the 
more  remote  parts  of  the  Papagueria.  The  fact  is  that 
these  decided  changes  in  the  conditions  of  the  Papago 
have  come  about  comparatively  recently,  perhaps  during 
the  last  thirty  or  forty  years.  As  Mr.  Bandelier,  the  great 
authority  on  the  history  of  the  South-west,  truly  says, 
the  ethnography  of  Arizona  has  not  changed  much  since 
the  year  1600.  The  Apaches  by  their  raids  altered  tri- 
bal relations,  but  the  change  that  most  concerns  us  here 
is  due  to  the  settling  of  the  country  since  its  annexation 
by  the  United  States,  and  in  Sonora  to  the  discovery  of 
gold.  Though  possibly  originating  in  a  less  arid  region, 
the  Papagoes,  in  relation  to  their  environment,  ought  to 
be  a  no  less  interesting  study  than  the  country  itself. 


CHAPTER  III 


AN  EXPEDITION  INTO  SOUTHERN  ARIZONA— MY  COMPANION— 
THE  RANGE  OF  BABOQUIVARI— FRESNAL— PAPAGO  MANNER  OF 
CURING  DISEASE— AT  THE  BOUNDARY— AN  UNUSUAL  RELIG- 
IOUS COMMOTION— VISIT  TO  A  SACRED  CAVE— INDIAN  OASIS 

On  June  20  I  started  from  Tucson  bound  for  a 
journey  of  exploration  of  that  part  of  Arizona  which  is 
occupied  by  the  Papago  Indians.  My  sole  companion 
was  Jose  Xavier  Pablo,  a  full-blooded  civilized  native  of 
that  tribe,  twenty-six  years  old.  He  had  learned  car- 
pentry in  Tucson,  in  which  he  was  as  proficient  as  any 
white  man.  He  was  also  a  painter  and  plumber;  in  fact, 
he  could  turn  his  hand  to  almost  anything  of  a  practical 
nature.  Thus,  assisted  by  two  other  Indians,  he  had 
put  up  the  telephone  line  between  Tucson  and  the  Pres- 
byterian Mission  School,  which  he  had  frequented  for 
nine  years.  He  furnished  his  own  wagon  and  two  hardy 
horses  bred  in  the  desert,  and  before  starting  he  shod  his 
horses  himself.  Pablo  also  served  as  my  interpreter. 
He  was  intelligent  and  reliable,  besides  being  of  an  un- 
usually even  temper;  during  the  two  months  we  travelled 
together,  I  do  not  remember  ever  to  have  known  him 
cross  or  to  lose  his  temper. 

In  addition  to  the  usual  provisions,  we  had  two  can- 
teens of  the  generous  Western  size,  each  capable  of  hold- 
ing two  and  one-half  gallons  of  water,  and  also  one  of 
smaller  size.    Of  course,  the  water  barrel  on  the  side  of 

30 


BEGINNING  MY  JOURNEY  31 

the  wagon  was  not  wanting;  also  rifle,  shot-gun,  and  rid- 
ing saddle  were  taken  along,  not  to  mention  photographic 
cameras  and  the  necessary  scientific  instruments.  In  the 
outskirts  of  Tucson,  near  an  old  mill,  we  filled  our  barrel 
and  gave  our  horses  a  good  drink  at  the  clear,  smooth- 
flowing  stream  of  the  Santa  Cruz  River,  which  was  in 
such  a  delightful  contrast  to  the  arid  landscape. 

It  had  been  my  intention  to  go  down  first  along  the 
eastern  side  of  the  Baboquivari  Range  as  far  as  La  Osa 
Ranch,  but  the  road  turned  out  to  be  sandy  and  heavy, 
and  I  was  obliged  to  return  and  limit  my  initiatory  jour- 
ney to  travelling  along  its  western  side.  A  happy-look- 
ing Papago  family  from  the  suburbs  of  Tucson  passed  us 
on  their  way  to  the  sahuaros  (giant  cactus);  they  were 
going  to  spend  the  Dia  de  San  Juan^  midsummer  day,  in 
the  country  picking  the  much  coveted  fruit.  An  Indian 
on  horseback  was  on  his  way  to  the  hot  city,  Tucson,  for 
the  same  celebration.    Everyone  to  his  taste! 

Baboquivari  is  the  familiar  name  given  to  an  exten- 
sive range  south-west  of  Tucson.  From  its  central  part 
rises  a  peak  of  somewhat  striking  shape  which  gave  ori- 
gin to  its  name,  Baboquivari  being  a  Spanish  corruption 
of  the  Papago  name  Vavkivolik,  meaning:  "mountain 
ivav)  narrow  about  the  middle  {kivoliky  \  seen  from  the 
south,  the  almost  perpendicular  sides  of  the  peak  appear 
slightly  drawn  in  at  the  base.  The  peak,  rising  nearly 
fifty  miles  south-west  of  Tucson  as  the  crow  flies,  can  be 
seen  from  a  great  distance,  from  the  neighborhood  of  the 
Jack-rabbit  mine  and  the  Ajo  Mountains  in  the  west,  to 
Altar,  Sonora,  in  the  south.    Prof.  R.  H.  Forbes,  of  the 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


University  of  Arizona,  in  July,  1898,  succeeded  in  as- 
cending it,  and  by  an  aneroid  barometer  the  height  was 
found  to  be  7,850  feet  above  sea-level.  The  ascent  was 
made  from  the  west  side,  and,  to  quote  his  own  words, 
**the  extreme  top  of  the  mountain  is  a  gentle  oval  about 
a  hundred  yards  across.  From  this  lofty  vantage  the  eye 
sweeps  over  about  three  hundred  miles  of  a  terrific  and 
almost  untouched  wilderness  of  rocks."  There  is  a  small 
pool  on  top  which  holds  a  few  gallons  of  water  after 
rain.  In  rainy  weather,  water  drips  down  on  the  north 
side  five  hundred  feet  below  the  top,  where  several  small 
pools  were  seen. 

It  is  perhaps  at  the  latter  place  that  the  pond  is  found 
which  is  called  by  the  Indians  Viikan  Shootak,  ''Lasting 
Water"  {shootak^  water),  and  which  in  the  belief  of  the 
Indians  was  left  by  the  sea  after  the  deluge.  At  the  time 
of  the  making  of  sahuaro  wine  for  their  great  feasts  of 
the  summer,  people  go  up  there  to  get  some  of  this  water, 
after  having  first  sung  to  it,  to  use  in  the  wine  making. 

On  Friday,  June  25,  we  approached  from  the  west 
the  large  rancheria  called  Fresnal,  situated  among  the 
foot-hills  below  the  peak  of  Baboquivari,  which  looked 
more  magnificent  from  that  point  of  view  than  from  any 
other  I  have  seen.  The  air  was  very  pure  and  transpar- 
ent, and  I  took  a  photograph  of  the  peak  at  half-past  five 
in  the  afternoon.  Just  as  I  cast  a  glance  backward, 
before  making  a  second  exposure,  I  was  astonished  to 
see  that  the  region  toward  the  west  and  south  was  hazy, 
and  I  had  scarcely  time  to  make  the  exposure  when  the 
haze  and  a  light  wind,  moist  from  the  sea,  arrived.  A 


A  LARGE  RANCHERIA 


33 


few  minutes  later  the  Baboquivari  Range,  at  a  distance 
of  ten  miles,  was  enveloped  in  a  light  fog.  The  change 
was  not  only  seen  but  felt,  the  temperature  fell,  and  the 
moisture  of  the  air  was  very  perceptible.  As  the  wagon 
was  heavy  and  the  road  led  uphill,  it  grew  late  before 
our  arrival,  but  the  moon  was  half  full,  so  we  found  our 
way  easily  in  the  now  quite  chilly  evening.  The  spell  of 
extremely  dry  air  was  broken  and  the  season  of  rain 
showers  approaching. 

We  made  our  camp  next  to  a  big  mezquite  tree  on  a 
slope  among  the  ranches.  The  weird  singing  of  a  med- 
icine-man sounded  through  the  greater  part  of  the  night. 
Few  are  those  Papagoes  who  have  lost  faith  in  their  own 
doctors,  and  even  the  so-called  policemen  turn  to  them 
for  relief  if  anything  ails  them. 

Fresnal  consists  in  reality  of  three  rancherias,  and  we 
found  ourselves  in  the  middle  one.  They  are  pleasantly 
situated  among  the  foot-hills  and  look  like  villages.  The 
name  is  derived  from  some  ash  trees  that  grow  in  the 
arroyo,  the  native  name  having  the  same  meaning.  Nat- 
urally, the  rainfall  is  greater  here  in  the  mountains  than 
on  the  llano  and,  according  to  local  accounts,  the  arroyos 
at  times  run  a  whole  day.  Occasionally  the  water  is  six 
feet  deep.  The  Indians  say  that  the  arroyos  here  carry 
water  to  the  Sonoita  River. 

The  Indians  of  Fresnal  are  well-to-do;  three  or  four 
of  the  men  are  reputed  to  own  as  many  as  two  hundred 
head  of  cattle  and  fifty  horses  each.  Wagons  and  good 
horses  were  seen,  and  there  were  plenty  of  chickens 
about.    Men  and  women,  especially  the  latter,  looked  in 


34 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


good  condition;  the  young  men  were  not  particularly 
accommodating,  as  their  interest  seemed  to  be  centred  in 
the  corral,  where  they  were  breaking  in  horses,  separat- 
ing cattle,  etc.  These  natives  had  little  to  sell  me  beyond 
a  fine  basket  used  for  harvesting  sahuaro  fruit.  This 
kind  of  basket,  which  now  is  becoming  rare,  is  of  large 
size,  water-tight,  and  is  carried  on  the  head.  Its  decora- 
tive designs  sometimes  represent  the  sahuaro  cactus. 

I  visited  Santiago,  an  old  hunter,  who,  according  to 
reports,  used  to  be  able  to  overtake  deer,  on  the  run,  in 
half  a  day,  and  then  shoot  them  with  bow  and  arrow. 
In  the  hot  weather  these  animals  are  not  inclined  to  run 
long,  as  their  feet  become  sore.  Santiago  is  still  very 
agile  and  quick  in  his  movements  and  every  day  he  goes 
out  shooting  quail,  cotton-tails,  jack-rabbits,  and  pigeons. 
His  bow,  which  I  secured,  is  made  from  that  beautiful 
greenish  blue  bush  of  the  desert  called  condalia.  It  is 
strengthened  by  an  ox-tail  hide  pulled  over  it.  The  bow 
string  is  made  from  the  ligaments  of  the  back  of  the  neck 
of  the  same  animal.  Arrows  are  made  from  the  amole 
(yucca)  flower  stalk,  the  point  being  of  cat-claw,  tied  by 
deer  sinew. 

He  was  also  willing  to  be  photographed.  He  had 
been  to  Tucson  and  there  had  gone  through  the  experi- 
ence of  the  camera,  so  he  had  no  objection  but  would 
expect  some  gratuity.  I  took  three  or  four  snapshots 
with  my  kodak,  and  he  asked  fifty  cents,  which  I  gave 
him,  but  he  demanded  fifty  cents  for  each  exposure,  in 
which  I  could  hardly  humor  him.  The  Papagoes  all 
have  a  great  disinclination  to  being  photographed,  and 


A  MEDICAL  PRACTITIONER 


look  upon  It  as  being  worth  a  good  deal  of  money  to  the 
one  who  submits  to  the  operation.  His  bow  and  four 
arrows,  the  result  of  much  labor,  he  sold  for  ^1.25.  I 
gave  him  some  tobacco,  candy,  and  raisins,  and  we  sep- 
arated great  friends. 

In  the  afternoon  I  arrived  at  a  house  outside  of  which 
an  old  medicine-man,  Castillo,  was  singing  to  soothe  a 
patient,  a  middle-aged,  powerful  looking  man  who  was 
lying  on  his  back  in  front  of  him.  His  singing  was  ac- 
companied by  the  rasping  of  two  sticks;  one  end  of  the 
notched  one  he  held  by  his  left  hand,  while  the  other 
end  rested  against  an  inverted  basket,  and  he  drew  the 
rasping  stick  each  time  up  toward  him  and  then  down, 
the  opposite  movement  to  the  one  which  we  should  use 
to  produce  the  same  result.  Near  the  basket  on  the 
ground  an  effigy  of  a  horned  lizard  had  been  placed ;  it 
was  made  of  wood  and  daubed  with  ochre,  its  head 
turned  toward  the  patient. 

Some  Indians  came  up  smiling  as  if  they  wished  it 
to  be  understood  that  they  did  not  believe  in  the  per- 
formance, for  they  knew  that  white  men  laugh  at  this. 
One  of  them  obligingly  brought  me  a  basket  for  sale  as 
well  as  three  small  ancient  objects,  a  flint  arrow-point,  a 
spinning  whorl,  and  a  small  perforated  stone  disk,  all 
threaded  on  a  string.  In  the  meantime  the  medicine- 
man, whom  I  watched  from  my  horse,  was  finishing  his 
treatment  by  placing  the  effigy  repeatedly  on  the  patient's 
leg,  breathing  and  blowing  at  the  same  time.  The  man 
had  a  pain  in  his  leg  which  had  been  caused  by  a  horned 
lizard,  for,  according  to  Papago  beliefs,  all  animals  have 


36  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


the  faculty  of  making  people  ill  except  the  deer  and  the 
pronghorn  antelope.  To  relieve  the  illness  the  doctor 
had  sung  a  song  to  the  animal,  asking  it  to  take  the 
pain  away.  He  then  walked  into  his  house;  somebody 
must  have  told  him  that  I  was  a  makai  (doctor,  medicine- 
man), for  a  few  minutes  later,  to  my  surprise,  he  brought 
out  his  medicine  basket,  easily  recognized  by  its  long 
shape,  and  came  up  to  me.  We  sat  down  on  the  ground; 
he  took  off  the  cover  and  began  to  unpack  the  contents 
of  his  tray. 

Many  people  gathered  around  us  and  the  sick  man 
half  rose  from  his  mat  in  order  to  turn  around  to  see  who 
the  stranger  was.  There  were  many  remedies  of  a  sim- 
ilar character  to  the  one  just  described.  Images  of  cer- 
tain animals,  accompanied  by  appropriate  ceremonies 
and  exhortations,  are  thought  to  relieve  ailments.  Like 
the  native  doctor  himself,  an  animal  is  thought  to  be 
able  to  cause  illness  as  well  as  to  cure.  The  turtle 
causes  stiffness,  the  butterfly  produces  vomiting,  and  the 
badger  gives  backache.  The  deer  makes  persons  cough, 
and  their  voices  weak,  and  may  give  consumption;  but 
a  deer-tail,  placed  on  a  stick  and  manipulated  in  the 
proper  way  by  the  medicine-man,  will  cure  that  illness, 
for,  as  Castillo  added  by  way  of  explanation,  "it  is  not 
often  you  see  the  deer  thin.'*  A  piece  of  clay  taken  from 
a  gopher's  burrow  is  used  against  excessive  menstrua- 
tion or  stomach  pain.  The  sun  is  apt  to  give  fever,  and 
a  patient  suffering  thus  is  relieved  at  sunrise;  during  the 
incantations  of  the  doctor  a  small  wooden  image  of  the 
sun  rests  on  the  ground,  while  the  patient  faces  the  east. 


THE  MAGIC  OF  A  PLUME 


The  old  man  seemed  glad  to  explain  everything.  He 
was  also  willing  to  sell  me  some  of  his  treasures.  One 
of  them  was  a  medicine-man's  plume  consisting  of  four 
eagle  plumes  tied  together  so  that  they  diverged  two  by 
two.  When  used,  these  are  held  by  the  quill  ends  as  a 
handle  and  moved  in  the  air  forward  and  backward  as 
if  dusting  an  object.  When  the  young  girls  come  of  age 
they  are  dusted"  in  this  way  from  all  evil.  The  imple- 
ment was  new  and  well  made,  and  I  wanted  to  buy  it. 
**The  plume  is  very  valuable,"  he  answered;  ''with  us  it 
is  at  least  worth  as  much  as  a  horse  or  a  cow."  He 
would,  however,  make  it  easy  for  me  by  letting  me  have 
it  for  ^2.50.  I  presented  him  with  a  pouch  of  tobacco 
and  a  handful  of  candy,  the  cause  of  much  interest  to  his 
little  grandchildren  who  had  been  clinging  to  the  good- 
natured  old  man  all  the  time  that  he  was  explaining. 
He  also  promised  to  show  me  the  so-called  Montezuma's 
Cave,  in  the  peak  of  Baboquivari,  some  day. 

In  a  light  wagon  which  Pablo  borrowed  we  started 
on  an  excursion  south,  to  be  possibly  extended  beyond 
the  border  to  Pozo  Verde.  The  day  was  moist  and 
warm.  We  passed  several  extensive  summer  rancherias 
or  temporales  as  they  are  usually  called.  The  rude 
fences  of  mezquite  looked  substantial  and  the  Indian 
ranches  gave  an  impression  of  prosperity.  At  two  places 
there  were  dams  also  fenced  in,  but  they  were  empty; 
they  had  been  made  by  scooping  up  the  rich  soil  with 
scrapers  and  horse-power.  The  water  in  such  ponds 
lasts  only  three  or  four  months  and  is  not  for  irrigating 
purposes,  but  solely  for  the  use  of  men  and  beasts.  The 


38 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


Papagoes  do  not  bathe  in  them;  during  the  rains  they 
get  their  baths  in  the  arroyos,  men  and  women  bathing 
separately.  There  was  not  a  soul  to  be  seen  anywhere, 
as  the  Indians  were  still  at  this  time,  the  end  of  June,  in 
or  near  the  mountains  with  their  cattle  and  horses. 

From  a  lately  established  summer  rancheria,  called 
San  Miguel,  southward,  the  country  assumes  a  different 
aspect,  forming  beautiful  grassy  plains  or  downs.  The 
mezquites,  far  apart  and  small,  take  the  place  of  grease- 
woods  and  the  cacti  have  almost  disappeared.  There 
was  an  abundance  of  very  dry  grass  of  a  whitish  yellow 
hue.  As  the  air  was  laden  with  moisture,  it  was  to  be 
expected  that  the  coloring  of  sky  and  mountains  would 
be  fine  toward  sunset.  The  western  sky  beamed  with 
the  translucent  color  of  light  yellow  or  orange,  while  the 
mountains,  which  during  the  glaring  light  of  the  day  had 
shown  no  color  beyond  a  dull  gray,  appeared  deep  blue. 
Much  more  intense  than  the  air-blue  and  complementary 
to  that  of  the  setting  sun,  the  color  extended  to  all  the 
mountains  around  the  great  bajio  (basin),  while  at  its 
western  edge  a  long  narrow  strip  of  light  green,  due  to 
an  unusual  growth  of  mezquites,  added  to  the  variety. 
To  most  people  it  is  not  apparent  that  there  is  much  col- 
oring in  any  landscape  except  that  caused  by  inherent 
qualities,  as  by  vari-colored  leaves  of  trees;  if  they  would 
lie  down  on  the  ground  and  view  the  scenery  horizon- 
tally, they  would  probably  have  their  eyes  opened  from 
this  unusual  vantage  point. 

There  is  a  well  fifteen  feet  deep  at  a  lonely  Indian 
ranch  just  on  the  border,  but  as  the  place  was  found  to 


UGLY  EFFECTS  OF  CIVILIZATION  39 

be  temporarily  deserted,  and  there  would  be  no  one  to 
look  after  our  wagon,  we  had  to  abandon  our  Intended 
trip  to  Pozo  Verde,  the  largest  Papago  rancheria  at  the 
present  time  in  Sonora.  Its  name.  Green  Spring,  has 
the  same  significance  in  the  Papago  language,  and  the 
locality  is  important  in  the  native  mythology.  Baboqui- 
vari  rises  about  a  thousand  feet  above  the  llano  near 
the  boundary  line,  losing  itself  in  Mexico  in  low  ranges 
and  mountains. 

On  our  return  we  made  a  detour  into  a  rancheria 
called  Sepanovak  Smell  of  the  Coyote"),  which  was  sit- 
uated in  a  narrow  valley  of  the  Baboquivari  Range.  It 
had  been  settled  of  late  years  and  was  small  and  unat- 
tractive. Discarded  clothing  was  lying  about,  and  the  in- 
habitants looked  like  poor  white  people,  although  they 
owned  lots  of  live  stock.  Judging  from  the  fine  looking 
fat  horses  and  cattle  down  on  the  plains,  a  different  opin- 
ion would  have  been  formed  of  the  owners;  it  was  some- 
thing like  the  disappointment  one  feels  when  a  smart 
turnout  of  horses  with  driver  and  footman  discloses  or- 
dinary-looking people  inside  the  carriage.  Natural  and 
harmonious  conditions  are  the  only  ones  that  count  in 
life. 

One  interesting  family,  that  of  Ramon  Cachora,  lived 
a  little  further  up  the  valley  from  here,  he,  his  two  sons 
and  his  son-in-law  having  been  leaders  in  a  religious 
movement  of  a  white  man's  stamp.  They  were  so-called 
educated  Indians,  and  a  daughter  of  his  had  been  to 
Carlisle.  It  was  an  anomalous  case,  for,  strange  to 
say,  they  had  become  converts  to  the  revivalism  of  the 


40 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


prophet  Dowie,  who  a  few  years  ago  made  such  a  stir  in 
various  parts  of  the  United  States.  One  of  his  agents, 
a  lady  in  Phoenix,  had  been  instrumental  in  bringing 
this  about. 

To  understand  this  conversion,  it  must  be  remem- 
bered that  all  Indians  are  of  a  religious  disposition.  In 
their  aboriginal  state,  while  never  giving  up  their  own 
beliefs,  the  Indians  have  little  objection  to  any  foreign 
creed;  the  more  religion  the  better  for  them.  They  are 
quite  sincere  about  it.  When  these  Papagoes  heard  of 
the  strange  teaching  of  the  modern  Elijah,  it  appealed  to 
them.  The  world  was  coming  to  an  end  and  they  were 
going  to  get  ready;  people  sold  what  little  they  owned 
and  settled  in  the  Comobabi  Mountains  awaiting  the 
arrival  of  the  new  Messiah.  There  were  from  forty  to 
fifty  souls  all  told,  men,  women,  and  children.  Ramon 
Cachora,  who  was  well  off,  sold  his  two  hundred  head  of 
cattle;  he  became  the  leader  and  they  sustained  them- 
selves mainly  with  the  proceeds  of  this  sale.  There  was 
no  white  man  with  them.  They  had  everything  in  com- 
mon and  their  rules  were  strict;  brandy  and  tobacco 
were  forbidden.  Sometimes  they  had  services  lasting  the 
entire  day.  For  three  years  they  waited  for  the  Messiah 
to  come;  then  hunger  broke  up  the  sect. 

A  herd  of  horses  and  a  number  of  cows,  many  with 
calves,  that  had  come  in  to  drink  the  night  before,  walked 
off  again  in  the  morning  to  pasture  in  the  plains  some 
six  or  eight  miles  away.  I  asked  a  man  how  long  a  time 
it  would  be  before  they  returned  and  he  answered:  ''A 
few  will  come  next  day,  most  of  them  the  day  after  to- 


AN  ANCIENT  FORTIFICATION 


morrow  in  the  afternoon,  and  some  will  not  return  until 
the  third  day."  It  was  the  hottest  time  of  the  year — the 
end  of  June. 

Three  miles  from  here,  just  about  where  the  llano 
begins,  there  rises  a  small  hill,  four  hundred  feet  high, 
called  La  Ventana.  On  the  west  side  it  has  been  forti- 
fied by  the  ancient  people  with  half  a  dozen  or  more 
stone  walls  of  the  usual  description.  The  walls  are  per- 
haps more  massive  than  is  the  case  at  most  places.  The 
fortifications  had  a  remarkably  fresh  look  about  them,  as 
if  they  had  been  in  recent  use.  On  top,  where  blocks 
had  been  broken  off  to  form  walls  and  parapets,  the  un- 
derlying rock  still  looked  as  untouched  by  the  hand  of 
time  as  if  the  work  had  been  done  within  two  years. 
Circular  or  square  enclosures  of  the  usual  type  are  seen 
on  a  natural  terrace  near  the  top.  A  fairly  well  con- 
structed track  leads  up  to  the  summit  where  a  rattle- 
snake was  resting  in  a  cool  cavity.  A  ground-squirrel 
was  noticed,  and  on  the  hill-side  two  camping  places  of 
the  gray  fox  were  observed,  each  under  a  small  bush,  the 
ground  having  been  worn  quite  smooth. 

The  vast  plain  is  impressive  from  the  top ;  the  ranges, 
enveloped  in  a  blue  haze,  appeared  small,  Comobabi  and 
Quijotoa  in  the  north-west  being  the  nearest.  To  the 
right  of  the  Comobabi  Range,  in  one  place  only,  toward 
north  north-west,  the  view  was  unobstructed  as  far  as 
the  eye  could  see.  In  the  south-west  the  small  hills  near 
Sonoita  were  visible.  The  many  arroyos  on  the  west 
side  of  the  Baboquivari  Range  are  worthy  of  note;  they 
are  short,  quite  deep,  and  impossible  for  wagons  to  cross 


42 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


until  they  widen  out  into  the  plains.  For  this  reason  the 
road,  such  as  it  is,  from  Fresnal  southward  makes  a 
detour  west. 

At  the  well  of  Fresnal  our  horses,  having  been  with- 
out water  for  twenty-two  hours,  each  drank  nine  buck- 
etfuls.  The  bucket  was  not  large,  but  contained  more 
than  a  gallon.  A  visit  was  made  to  the  so-called  Monte- 
zuma's Cave,  once  sacred  to  the  Papago  as  the  principal 
habitation  with  which  tradition  credits  Sihu,  also  called 
litoi,  the  most  important  mythical  personage  of  the 
Papago  mythology,  being  their  elder  brother  as  well  as 
creator  of  the  world.  The  cave  is  called  Elder  Brother's 
House  (in  Papago,  Sihuki;  ki,  house).  It  is  situated  at 
six  miles'  distance  from  Fresnal.  Wc  climbed  nearly 
one  thousand  feet,  and  on  the  south  side  of  a  hill,  below 
the  peak,  our  guide,  the  medicine-man,  pointed  out  the 
entrance  to  the  sacred  place,  half  hidden  among  bushes. 

It  was  closed  with  a  wall  of  loose  stones  and  was  so 
small  that  a  man  could  only  squeeze  through  with  diffi- 
culty. The  cave  was  found  to  be  spacious  and  well 
formed.  At  one  corner  was  deposited  several  hundred 
arrows,  upright  in  a  bunch,  with  nothing  but  the  wooden 
part  remaining.  No  flint  points  were  visible.  There  is 
another  cave  on  the  east  side  of  the  Baboquivari  Range, 
discovered  lately  by  Mr.  Jefferson  Milton,  where  a  con- 
siderable number  of  obsidian-tipped  arrows  were  secured, 
one  of  which  is  reproduced  at  page  96. 

Though  a  few  showers  had  fallen  lately,  still  no  grass 
had  yet  made  its  appearance  and  travel  began  to  be  dif- 
ficult.   The  Indians  had  very  little  to  sell  in  the  way  of 


Peak  of  Baboquivari 


OcoTiLLO  {Fonqiiieria  splcndcns) 


Entrance  to  the  sacred  cave,  at  foot  Barrel  cactus 

OF  PEAK  of  Baboquivari 


GRATEFUL  RAIN 


43 


straw,  barley,  or  wheat,  the  usual  feed  for  animals.  If 
our  horses  had  not  been  hardy  creatures  of  the  desert, 
we  should  not  have  been  able  to  move  about  much  at 
that  time  of  the  year.  I  decided  to  return  to  Menager's 
store,  at  present  called  Indian  Oasis,  where  we  might 
succeed  in  securing  forage. 

A  Papago  was  an  efficient  clerk  in  the  store.  Near  by 
was  a  small  village  of  civilized  Indians;  the  women,  who 
had  been  to  school  near  Tucson,  after  a  while  responded 
in  English,  very  softly  spoken.  A  phonograph,  which 
was  the  only  one  I  saw  in  the  Papagueria,  was  produced 
and  operated  for  my  entertainment.  Many  Indians  came 
into  the  store  from  the  neighboring  country.  As  they 
were  not  in  the  habit  of  carrying  provisions,  they  were 
hungry  and  looked  it.  I  treated  them  to  a  generous 
breakfast  and  my  reward  was  the  information  which 
they  volunteered  concerning  one  of  their  festivals,  con- 
nected with  the  gathering  of  the  fruit  of  the  sahuaro,  the 
giant  cactus.  It  was  to  take  place  the  next  day  at  a 
rancheria  called  Noria,  situated  in  the  Comobabi  Moun- 
tains at  no  great  distance,  and  I  decided  to  go  there. 

Opportunely  for  my  journey,  in  the  evening  of  July 
4  unusually  heavy  rain  fell  during  forty-five  minutes,  the 
storm  making  short  work  of  my  tent  which  I  decided  to 
leave  behind  here  on  account  of  its  being  so  large  and 
inconvenient.  Nearly  an  inch  of  rain  must  have  fallen, 
bringing  about  in  this  brief  space  of  time  a  remarkable 
change  in  the  appearance  of  the  landscape.  The  dry 
creek  ran  with  water  and  the  playa  below  was  changed 
into  a  shallow  lake,  the  frogs  filling  the  air  with  their  loud, 


44 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


welcome  voices.  Next  day  in  the  afternoon  we  pulled  out, 
though  the  ground,  soaked  with  water,  made  travel  heavy. 
Our  wagon  was  stuck  for  half  an  hour,  but  after  that  we 
made  our  way  fairly  well,  for  the  night's  rain  was  found 
to  have  extended  only  a  couple  of  miles  westward.  We 
arrived  at  our  destination  at  dusk. 


CHAPTER  IV 


THE  GIANT  CACTUS  OR  SAHUARO— THE  SAHUARO  FEAST  AT  NORIA 
—DANCING  AND  SINGING— THE  MEDICINE  LODGE— TOBACCO- 
WELL  RECEIVED— DISSERTATIONS  WITH  THE  INDIANS— AN 
ADVENTURE— AN  ANCIENT  FESTIVAL— NATIVE  ORATORY— OB- 
JECTION TO  PHOTOGRAPHY— ARTISTIC  GIFTS  OF  A  NATIVE 

The  giant  cactus  {Cereus  giganteus),  or  sahuaro, 
vv^hich  is  the  direct  and  indirect  cause  of  such  festivals  as 
the  one  we  were  to  witness,  is  by  far  the  most  noteworthy 
representative  of  plant  life  in  the  desert,  being,  in  fact, 
one  of  the  most  remarkable  plants  on  the  globe.  It 
reaches  a  height  of  forty  to  fifty  feet,  sometimes  even 
more.  At  times  the  sahuaro  appears  as  a  single  trunk, 
like  a  column,  but  more  often  branches  of  nearly  the 
same  thickness  protrude  from  it,  stretching  upward  arms 
lifted  as  in  appeal.  The  evergreen  trunk  and  branches 
have  deep  longitudinal  furrows  or  flutes,  armed  with 
spines  and  wonderfully  adapted  for  retaining  moisture. 
Acting  in  a  manner  similar  to  that  of  the  bellows  of  an 
accordion,  these  close  together  during  drought  and  open 
again  to  receive  moisture. 

It  avoids  the  great  belt  of  sand  dunes  that  stretches 
along  the  upper  part  of  the  Gulf  of  California,  from  Port 
Lobos  westward,  and  ceases  to  appear  south  of  the  Gila 
Range  and  Sierra  Blanca.  Often  a  single  column,  the 
only  one  on  a  whole  mountain,  appears  on  top,  re- 
sembling a  sentinel  on  guard.    At  other  times  such  a 

45 


46 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


single  column  has  found  the  means  of  existence  on  some 
terrace  on  the  mountain  side,  reminding  an  imaginative 
traveller  of  the  ruins  of  a  temple  in  Greece.  Along  the 
mountains  east  and  south  of  Sonoita,  Sonora,  this  cactus 
attains  its  most  luxuriant  grov^th.  Here  as  well  as  near 
other  ranges  impressive  forests  of  these  gigantic,  singular 
structures  of  the  plant  dominion  appear,  calling  to  mind 
creations  from  the  carboniferous  period. 

In  May  the  tips  of  the  trunks  and  branches  produce 
a  multitude  of  superb  cream-white  flowers.  Toward  the 
end  of  June  the  famous  sahuaro  fruit  appears,  the  size 
and  shape  of  a  large  hen's  egg.  A  spiny  skin  which  is 
easily  removed  protects  the  juicy,  crimson,  and  fleshy  sub- 
stance in  which  numerous  black  seeds  are  imbedded. 
Although  possessing  not  quite  as  much  flavor  as  the 
related  and  more  famous  pitahaya  fruit  of  Mexico,  the 
sahuaro  is  a  palatable  relish  in  the  excessively  hot  and 
dry  climate,  containing  also,  like  the  pitahaya,  consider- 
able nourishment. 

The  violent  storms  of  the  desert  make  no  impression 
on  the  giant  cactus.  However,  one  wonders  that  it  can 
exist  at  all,  since  the  fruit  and  the  plant  itself  prove  in 
many  ways  such  an  attraction  to  animals.  As  soon  as 
the  sweet  fruits  ripen  they  are  attacked  by  birds,  while 
those  that  fall  to  the  ground  are  eaten  by  hungry  and 
thirsty  animals,  which  prevent  the  seeds  from  germinat- 
ing. The  woodpeckers  make  large  cavities  in  the  juicy 
pulp  of  the  trunk,  the  plant  protecting  itself  by  growing 
a  hard  tissue  all  around  the  cavity,  in  which  various 
kinds  of  owls,  falcons,  and  fly-catchers  make  their  nests; 


THE  USEFUL  SAHUARO 


47 


here  also  bees  deposit  their  honey  and  bats  make  their 
homes.  Sometimes  rabbits  attack  the  stem  to  get  at  the 
juicy  pulp. 

To  the  Indians  the  sahuaro  is  invaluable,  and  by 
tacit  understanding  they  consider  it  a  crime  to  cut  one 
down.  The  grateful  fruit  comes  at  a  time  when  most 
needed,  and  the  Indians  leave  their  habitations  to  camp 
among  the  sahuaro  as  long  as  the  season  lasts.  Not  only 
does  the  fruit  then  furnish  them  with  their  principal 
means  of  subsistence,  but  the  greater  part  is  boiled  down 
to  a  sirup  for  future  consumption  in  the  winter,  serving 
also  as  material  for  an  intoxicating  drink,  which  is  used 
at  the  sahuaro  festival.  The  seeds,  too,  are  eaten  after 
having  first  been  ground  on  the  metate,  and  they  taste 
better  than  would  be  expected;  the  Indians  also  feed  their 
fowls  with  them  and  many  sackfuls  are  brought  back  to 
the  houses  after  the  sahuaro  harvest.  The  wooden  skele- 
tons or  ribs  of  the  sahuaro  furnish  the  Papago  with  light, 
strong,  and  elastic  building  stuff,  and  from  the  same  ma- 
terial he  makes  the  long  stick  which  is  needed  to  bring 
the  fruit  down  from  its  lofty  elevation,  coloring  the  pole 
red  with  the  juice  of  the  fruit.  Also  chicken  coops,  chairs, 
traps,  and  similar  articles  of  the  household  are  manufact- 
ured from  sahuaro  ribs.  Even  the  wooden  tissue  bags 
produced  by  the  woodpeckers  are  made  to  serve  as  water 
bottles  or  drinking  vessels. 

So  important  a  part  does  this  cactus  play  in  the  life 
of  the  Papago  that  their  year  begins  with  the  sahuaro 
harvest.  The  season  lasts  from  the  middle  of  June  till 
the  middle  of  July.    Every  rancheria  is  supposed  to  make 


48 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


a  feast  for  the  occasion,  which  will  insure  rain  and  good 
crops.  An  essential  part  of  the  festival  is  the  drinking 
of  wine,  produced  by  mixing  the  sahuaro  sirup  in  a  cer- 
tain proportion  with  water  and  allowing  this  to  ferment. 
The  name  of  this  greatest  festival  of  the  year  is  navaita, 
derived  from  ndvait,  their  word  for  the  wine. 

Elder  Brother,  so  their  tradition  runs,  created  the 
sahuaro  by  placing  beads  of  his  perspiration  in  the 
ground.  He  walked  in  ceremonial  circuits  around  it  for 
four  days,  and  the  plant  began  to  give  fruit.  He  also 
made  a  jar  in  which  he  put  the  juice  of  the  fruit  which 
he  mixed  with  water.  ''Let  us  see  if  we  can  not  make 
rain  with  this  to  refresh  the  thirsty  soil,"  he  said  to  the 
jar.  And  its  contents  became  wine,  and  it  began  to 
rain,  as  he  thought  it  would.  Therefore,  to  this  day,  the 
Papago  make  sahuaro  wine  and  celebrate  a  great  feast 
in  accordance  with  Elder  Brother's  commandments.  The 
wine  was  given  by  him  in  order  that  they  might  get 
drunk,  and  then  rain  would  follow. 

On  our  arrival  at  the  rancheria  of  Noria  we  learned 
that  the  wine  making  had  been  started  that  morning. 
The  festival  was  to  begin  in  the  evening,  the  singing  and 
dancing  lasting  as  usual  for  two  nights,  by  the  end  of 
which  time  the  wine  would  be  ready  for  consumption. 
An  hour  after  dark,  as  we  were  preparing  our  supper,  a 
loud  Indian  voice  from  the  other  side  of  the  arroyo  on 
which  we  were  camped  sounded  forth  in  the  dark,  still 
night,  inviting  people  to  gather  for  the  festival.  Stand- 
ing in  front  of  the  medicine  lodge,  facing  the  east,  the 
herald  announced  over  and  over  again:  "Darkness  has 


Single-column  sahuaro 


Sahuaro,  dry,  showing  its  wooden 
structure 


BEGINNING  THE  FESTIVAL 


already  covered  us  a  good  while,  it  is  now  time  to  begin 
to  sing  and  dance,  and  everybody  bring  tobacco." 

We  had  three  Indian  guests  at  our  meal,  and  after- 
ward we  all  went  over  to  the  dancing  place,  or,  as  the 
Indians  call  it,  the  singing  place  (njuikot;  njui,  sing),  a 
level  piece  of  ground  always  found  in  front  of  the  medi- 
cine lodge.  In  the  dim  light  a  long  string  of  eagle  plumes 
hanging  across  the  space  between  two  upright  poles  from 
east  to  west  could  be  discerned.  Near  the  western  pole 
a  solitary  fire  was  burning;  two  medicine-men  were  sit- 
ting there  with  their  backs  turned  toward  it  and  facing 
the  east.  Behind  the  fire,  in  the  west,  was  the  lodge, 
and  in  front  of  this  stood  a  jacal,  the  light  shed  invari- 
ably seen  near  the  dwelling  or  lodge.  They  sat  there 
immovable  in  mystic  contemplation  of  rock  crystals  and 
queer  objects  which  were  spread  before  them  on  the 
ground,  and  by  the  aid  of  which  rain  is  procured;  among 
them,  my  informant  said,  was  a  small  stone,  translucent 
and  bright,  which  few  have  seen.  If  rain  is  not  near,  the 
stone  is  very  warm  and  has  to  be  cooled  and  purified,  an 
operation  which  the  medicine  men  were  about  to  under- 
take. 

My  attention  was  next  attracted  to  a  long  basket  of 
enormous  proportions  placed  between  east  and  west  on 
the  ground  at  the  foot  of  the  western  pole,  near  the  doc- 
tors. It  was  of  the  same  oblong  shape  as  the  ordinary 
medicine  basket  of  so  many  tribes,  and  serves  as  a  recep- 
tacle for  the  sacred  paraphernalia  of  the  lodge.  Here 
the  string  of  eagle  feathers  hanging  near  by  is  kept  dur- 
ing the  year.    It  is  provided  with  a  cover  of  the  same 


50 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


material,  considered  by  the  Indians  as  its  blanket,  which, 
when  the  basket  is  in  use,  is  placed  on  the  ground  for  it 
to  ''sit"  on. 

Around  these  holy  men  and  the  fire  and  the  long 
string  of  plumes  that  stretched  across,  danced  men  and 
women,  holding  each  other  by  the  hand  and  moving 
around  in  a  circle.  They  marched  in  time,  with  firm  steps, 
placing  left  foot  behind  right,  and  proceeding  in  this  way 
against  the  sun's  apparent  movement.  They  all  sang  in 
unison  and  in  time  with  their  steps,  the  leader  swinging 
a  rattle,  and  he  and  those  nearest  to  him  exerting  their 
lungs  to  their  fullest  capacity.  There  were  always  two 
or  three  walking  ahead  of  him,  as  everybody  was  eager  to 
be  near  the  leader  in  order  to  catch  the  tune.  In  this 
advance  guard  there  was  also  a  female  leader,  a  soprano. 
What  a  wealth  of  songs  there  is  among  these  Indians! 
During  the  two  nights  new  songs  were  presented  all  the 
time,  not  only  new  texts  but  even  new,  though  somewhat 
similar,  melodies.  People  were  sitting  or  lying  around 
the  circle  of  dancers,  stepping  into  it  whenever  their  fancy 
moved  them. 

When  four  songs  had  been  sung,  taking  about  an 
hour,  a  short  pause  was  made,  and  the  performers  would 
sit  down,  many  of  them  smoking.  After  a  few  minutes, 
only  the  leader  would  rise,  and,  standing  in  front  of  the 
jacal  with  his  face  toward  the  east,  he  would  sing  one 
verse  of  the  song  they  were  going  to  take  up  next,  this 
time  in  a  low  voice,  just  to  refresh  their  memories.  Then 
he  would  step  forward,  dancing  again  and  bursting  forth 
into  loud  singing,  immediately  joined  by  the  multitude  in 


SAHUARO  WINE-MAKING 


51 


their  enthusiastic  efforts  to  make  an  impression  on  the 
gods. 

The  next  morning,  when  I  went  to  inspect  the  place 
in  dayhght,  I  found  the  leader  and  other  functionaries 
sleeping  peacefully  on  the  ground  under  the  jacal  in  front 
of  the  lodge,  tired  from  their  exertions  of  the  night.  I 
was  permitted  to  enter  the  lodge,  where  large  earthen- 
ware jars  were  standing  full  to  overflowing  with  the  pre- 
cious sahuaro  fluid.  A  slight  cavity  had  been  dug  in  the 
ground  for  each  jar,  serving  as  a  receptacle  and  covered 
with  branches  of  greasewood  upon  which  the  jar  rested 
neatly.  The  reason  for  this  arrangement,  according  to 
the  Indians,  was  to  keep  the  fluid  warm  and  because 
they  had  always  done  it  in  this  way.  Heavy  spume  was 
rising  from  most  of  the  jars,  showing  that  fermentation 
was  taking  place.  A  fire  was  kept  up  in  the  lodge  in 
order  that  the  temperature  of  the  air  should  be  even  and 
favorable  for  fermentation.  The  solemn  function  of 
mixing  the  sahuaro  sirup  with  water  takes  place  in  the 
morning  hours  under  the  jacal  outside. 

The  lodge  was  a  circular,  dome-shaped  grass  hut,  the 
ancient  form  of  Papago  habitation,  examples  of  which 
are  still  frequently  seen  in  the  central  part  of  the  Papa- 
gueria.  The  lodge,  however,  is  larger  than  the  dwelling- 
house,  hence  its  name  Kuki,  **Big  House."  {Ku^  big, 
large.)  This  was  rather  a  small  one,  twelve  feet  in  di- 
ameter and  six  feet  high,  and  scrupulously  clean  inside. 
The  framework  of  these  primitive  houses  consists  of  mez- 
quite  posts;  from  two  to  four  forked  uprights  in  the  mid- 
dle support  the  dome-shaped  roof,  which  is  made  of  sa- 


52 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


huaro  ribs,  surmounted  with  greasewood  twigs  and  some 
large  coarse  grass  called  sacate  Colorado.  The  grass  is 
kept  in  place  by  hoops  of  ocotillo  inside  and  outside, 
placed  at  intervals  of  eight  or  ten  inches.  The  top  of 
the  house  is  covered  with  earth. 

The  entrance  is  small,  usually  only  two  and  one-half 
feet  high  and  two  feet  wide,  and  is  provided  with  a  grass 
door  which,  when  not  in  active  use,  leans  up  against  the 
wall  outside.  To  get  in  or  out  one  is  obliged  to  crawl  on 
hands  and  knees.  The  fire  is  made  in  the  centre,  and 
there  is  no  other  escape  for  the  smoke  than  the  door, 
there  being  no  window;  as  the  people  inside  generally  sit 
on  the  ground,  the  smoke  does  not  trouble  them;  besides, 
as  the  house  is  warm,  a  large  fire  is  not  needed.  In  the 
summer  these  dwellings  are  delightfully  cool,  affording 
also  excellent  protection  against  the  violent,  though  short- 
lasting,  rain-storms  of  the  desert. 

Usually  a  light  stockade  of  ocotillo  and  other  kinds 
of  poles  runs  around  the  lodge  to  prevent  the  cattle  from 
eating  the  grass  of  which  it  is  made.  In  this  house  the 
youth  are  instructed  in  the  traditions  and  beliefs  of  the 
tribe,  and  here  is  discussed  everything  of  more  or  less 
importance,  meetings  being  held  every  evening  of  the 
year.  The  man  who  is  in  charge  of  the  lodge  and  its  sa- 
cred objects  is  elected  for  life.  He  lives  near  by  and  is 
called  Keeper  of  the  Smoke,  which  means  tobacco  smoke. 
The  name  for  tobacco  is  viv;  when  used  for  certain  sa- 
cred purposes  it  is  called  coyote  tobacco  {pan  vivuka). 
The  young  plants  are  covered  with  greasewood  branches, 
but  the  Papagoes  nowadays  rarely  grow  the  weed  and 


SIMPLE  MINDS 


53 


usually  commercial  brands  have  to  be  resorted  to.  It  is 
smoked  in  corn  husks.  The  leaves  of  vtopolt,  a  bush  in 
the  foot-hills,  are  also  sometimes  smoked. 

In  the  afternoon  the  leading  men  began  to  wake 
from  their  slumber  and,  as  there  were  many  features  of 
the  feast  I  desired  to  have  explained  to  me,  I  induced 
them  to  have  a  conference.  Outside  of  the  house  of  the 
Keeper  of  the  Smoke  there  was  some  convenient  shade 
and,  stretched  on  a  mat  with  the  rest,  I  had  a  couple  of 
hours  of  very  interesting  conversation.  Many  years 
amongst  the  Indians  gave  me  some  knowledge  of  the 
fundamental  traits  of  their  religious  ideas,  which  evi- 
dently very  much  surprised  those  present.  They  had 
such  fine  faces,  full  of  determination  and  sincerity! 
Ragged  and  poor  though  these  people  were,  I  could  not 
help  admiring  the  expression  of  their  countenances,  es- 
pecially those  of  the  principal  men,  flushed  with  enthu- 
siasm attendant  on  the  festival.  They  gave  me  clear 
and  unequivocal  answers.  When  I  had  finished  all  my 
questions  one  medicine-man  said:  *'I  suppose  he  is  one 
of  those  white  men  who  want  us  to  give  up  all  our  an- 
cient beliefs  and  customs."  Assured  on  this  point,  they 
said  they  were  glad  to  have  me  remain  at  the  rancheria 
as  long  as  I  wished.  They  also  informed  me  of  a  cal- 
endar record  preserved  by  a  man  who  lived  in  the  Babo- 
quivari  Range.  Of  this  I  made  a  note  as  the  object  for 
an  excursion. 

Might  I  see  what  was  inside  the  long  basket  on  the 
dancing  places  I  asked.  This  they  could  not  very  well 
do.    Few  of  the  Indians  themselves  had  seen  it,  they 


54 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


said,  and  they  were  not  in  a  position  to  show  me;  per- 
haps the  makai  (medicine-men),  who  were  coming  to- 
night to  tell  when  the  rain  would  arrive,  would  show  me. 
But  to  see  those  things  was  a  risky  affair,  connected  with 
possibilities  of  harm  to  the  beholder.  As  we  were  re- 
turning to  camp  Pablo  said  to  me:  ^'Probably  those 
Indians  never  before  spoke  like  that  to  a  white  man." 

The  rest  of  the  day  was  spent  in  a  house  to  house 
canvass  and  many  baskets  were  bought.  In  the  even- 
ing Pablo  and  I  again  walked  over  to  see  the  dancing 
which  had  commenced  anew  at  dusk.  He  soon  joined 
the  dancers  and  evidently  the  *'old  Adam"  reasserted 
itself  within  him,  for  he  danced  with  fervor  the  whole 
night. 

As  one  sees  everything  better  by  taking  part  oneself 
in  the  proceedings,  I,  too,  broke  into  the  circle,  grabbing 
those  next  to  me  by  the  hand.  The  orthodox  way  is  to 
intertwine  the  fingers  as  one  may  see  sailors  do  when 
they  are  ashore,  or  peasant  girls  of  Norway  when  going 
to  a  dance  in  their  finery.  My  white  dress  made  me  a 
conspicuous  object  in  the  dark  night,  and  my  dancing 
and  singing  evoked  merriment  among  those  sitting  around. 
There  was  no  difficulty  in  getting  into  the  right  tune, 
and  my  partners  on  either  side,  as  well  as  the  rest  of 
those  actively  engaged,  were  too  serious  about  their  work 
to  be  distracted. 

Just  about  the  time  that  I  entered  into  the  perform- 
ance, the  medicine-men  who  were  sitting  with  their  legs 
crossed  in  front  of  the  fire  began  to  show  activity.  One 
of  them  suddenly  bent  forward  and  put  his  mouth  near 


HOW  TO  MAKE  IT  RAIN 


55 


the  sacred  translucent  stone  that  was  lying  before  him; 
then  he  began  to  breathe  forcibly  and  to  blow  over  it, 
emitting  at  the  same  time  a  peculiar  sound,  which  made 
it  difficult  for  me  to  refrain  from  laughing.  The  stone, 
which  had  become  warm  through  the  long  drought,  was 
now  being  cooled  and  cleaned  that  it  might  attract  rain. 
For  fully  ten  minutes  he  remained  thus  at  work;  then 
both  medicine  men  stood  up  and,  holding  eagle  plumes 
in  their  hands,  began  to  run  around  inside  our  circle,  all 
the  time  thrusting  the  plumes  upward  toward  the  sky  to 
draw  rain-clouds.  It  is  curious  to  reflect  that  Indians  as 
intelligent  as  the  Papago  should  so  absolutely  believe  in 
the  power  of  the  medicine-men  to  make  rain.  In  regard 
to  man's  relations  to  nature,  the  Indians  have,  since  the 
discovery  of  America,  learned  nothing  and  forgotten  noth- 
ing, and  it  will  take  many  centuries  to  change  their  mode 
of  thinking. 

After  an  hour's  dancing  I  went  alone  to  my  camp 
where  my  sleeping  cot  was  awaiting  me.  It  is  a  folding 
one  and,  when  put  up,  stands  high  above  the  ground, 
which  is  convenient  both  in  case  of  moisture  of  the 
ground  and  as  a  precaution  against  noxious  creatures, 
such  as  scorpions,  etc.  The  moon  was  shining,  the  night 
was  warm,  and  I  went  to  sleep  under  the  open  sky,  as  my 
custom  is  in  this  climate,  rejoicing  at  the  feeling  of  secu- 
rity one  has  while  among  Indians  who  have  not  been  too 
much  with  whites.  I  must  have  been  sleeping  quite  a 
while  when  I  was  awakened  by  the  violent  barking  of 
my  dog.  On  opening  my  eyes  I  beheld  the  disagreeable 
sight  of  a  tall,  half-nude  Indian  standing  beside  me  in 


56 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


the  moonlight.  Companero,^^  he  said,  ejaculating  a  few 
more  words  in  unintelligible  Spanish,  at  the  same  time 
thrusting  forward  a  big  open  bottle  with  bright  red  con- 
tents, the  smell  of  which  at  once  made  me  aware  of  the 
situation.  He  was  offering  me  sahuaro  wine  as  a  proof 
of  his  esteem.  But  he  might  have  chosen  a  more  reason- 
able hour  for  his  hospitality,  so  I  bluntly  answered :  "'No; 
I  will  have  nothing  until  I  get  up."  He  disappeared 
among  the  bushes  as  quietly  as  he  had  come;  in  fact,  he 
did  not  give  me  time  to  ascertain  what  had  become  of 
him,  and  it  seemed  like  an  unpleasant  dream.  However, 
being  desirous  of  getting  some  rest  before  the  ceremonies 
that  were  sure  to  take  place  at  sunrise,  I  fell  asleep  again 
after  a  while. 

The  wine  did  not  mature  as  early  as  expected,  and  in 
the  morning  one  of  the  principal  men  told  the  people  to 
gather  when  the  sun  would  be  half-way  between  noon 
and  sunset,  when  the  culmination  of  the  feast  would  take 
place.  One  of  the  Indians  confided  to  me  that  the  people 
thought  I  was  all  right;  I  danced  with  the  proper  step. 
Gradually  crowds  began  to  assemble,  many  of  the  young 
men  on  horseback;  slender  of  figure  but  above  medium 
height,  they  were  of  prepossessing  appearance,  sitting 
erect  and  following  well  the  movements  of  the  horse. 
Everybody  was  in  his  best  attire,  all  adopted  from  the 
whites,  and  everybody,  both  men  and  women,  looked 
clean.  But  there  was  no  hurry  about  anything.  After 
a  few  hours  passed  in  this  way,  the  Keeper  of  the  Smoke, 
who  was  the  general  manager  of  all  the  proceedings,  was 
seen  to  spread  out  blankets  and  mats  on  the  dancing 


A  NATIVE  BANQUET 


57 


place,  at  each  of  the  four  corners  of  the  world,  to  use 
the  Indian  expression.  The  principal  men  seated  them- 
selves on  the  mats  toward  north  and  south;  the  two 
medicine-men  sat  down  on  the  eastern  mat,  and  the 
Keeper  of  the  Smoke  on  the  western. 

The  multitude  surged  forward  and  took  their  seats, 
on  the  ground,  I  among  them,  all  forming  an  imposing 
square  that  symbolized  the  four  corners  of  the  world, 
each  of  the  four  mats  in  that  way  remaining  in  the  mid- 
dle of  a  line  of  the  square.  Hardly  had  we  seated  our- 
selves before  the  vessels  containing  the  wine  were  brought 
inside  of  the  square  from  the  lodge  by  four  young  men, 
each  one  carrying  a  vessel.  This  wine  should  have  been 
carried  in  those  large,  beautiful,  water-tight  baskets  of 
native  workmanship,  but,  alas,  there  was  only  one  of 
those,  an  indication  of  the  declining  days  of  the  tribe. 
The  remainder  of  the  receptacles  were  replaced  by  three 
inappropriate  looking  buckets  bought  in  the  white  man's 
store,  more  practical,  to  be  sure,  but  infinitely  more  ugly 
than  those  superb  baskets  decorated  with  artistic  designs. 
The  young  men  went  straight  across  the  dancing  place 
to  the  two  medicine  men  in  the  east,  who  immediately 
set  to  work  to  bless  the  contents,  driving  out  any  evil 
spirit  that  the  vessels  might  contain.  This  they  accom- 
plished by  making  slow  strokes  with  the  palms  of  the 
hands  around  the  vessels  from  in  front  back  toward 
themselves.  They  also  sacrificed  a  little  of  the  contents 
to  the  gods,  dipping  their  hands  into  the  liquor  and 
throwing  some  of  it  about.  It  was  done  in  a  desultory 
fashion,  showing,  as  one  man  explained  to  me,  that  they 


58 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


did  not  know  their  business  well.  The  tribe,  as  I  have  al- 
ready said,  is  daily  losing  its  ancient  beliefs  and  customs. 

The  distribution  now  began.  The  young  men  went 
in  pairs,  stopping  before  every  one  in  his  turn;  each  of 
the  two  would  dip  a  gourd  into  the  wine  and  hand  it 
over.  The  recipient  would,  before  drinking,  lift  it  up 
toward  the  young  man,  saying:  "Navatsh!''  (friend!);  if 
he  were  a  relative,  he  would  address  him  by  the  name  of 
the  relationship.  It  was  evident  from  the  beaming  smile 
on  the  faces  of  those  who  drank  that  the  wine  awoke 
much  satisfaction.  My  turn  also  came  and  I  must  con- 
fess that  in  this  dry  and  hot  climate,  the  beverage,  when 
well  made,  and  coming  cool  from  the  jars,  does  not 
taste  at  all  bad,  though  I  soon  grew  tired  of  it. 

Four  times  in  this  manner  had  the  young  men  made 
the  rounds  of  the  square,  offering  the  wine  quickly  and 
with  much  precision,  when  two  old  men  appeared  on 
the  scene.  They  advanced  from  the  lodge,  holding  each 
other  by  the  hand,  fingers  intertwined,  and,  beginning  at 
the  east,  went  in  turn  to  each  of  the  different  mats  where 
the  principal  men  were  sitting.  The  mat  is  called  vaaki^ 
which  connects  us  with  the  mythical  long  ago  when  the 
hunter  put  up  a  small  round  house  of  that  name  near 
water,  in  which  he  stayed  during  the  heat  of  the  day. 
At  each  corner  of  the  world  is  a  vaaki  or  hunter's  lodge. 
At  each  such  ''house"  a  long  speech  was  made  by  one 
of  the  two  old  men,  whose  name  was  ''Mocking  Bird 
Talk."  Addressing  the  most  important  man  on  the  mat 
by  his  degree  of  relationship,  or  as  a  friend,  as  the  case 
might  be,  he  tells  him  to  look  for  a  white,  shining  house 


PERSUASIVE  POWERS 


59 


in  the  east,  from  where  black  clouds  come.  *'The  black 
clouds  have  many  inchnations  in  different  directions  and 
we  can,  by  our  singing,  turn  them  toward  us  and  influ- 
ence the  winds  to  make  this  poor  earth  moist"  he  says. 
Then  he  asks  for  a  song,  and  in  response  the  group  sit- 
ting on  that  mat  sings  about  rain.  After  having  in  the 
same  way  soKcited  songs  from  the  rest  of  the  groups, 
seated  at  the  cardinal  points,  and  received  immediate 
and  enthusiastic  answers  by  invariably  well-executed 
songs,  the  old  men  return  to  the  lodge. 

They  immediately,  however,  come  back  for  a  similar 
round  of  visits,  the  speaker  this  time  asking  for  an  ex- 
pression of  friendship  for  himself.  Every  one  answers 
"friend!"  or  gives  him  his  degree  of  relationship.  Next, 
the  groups  on  the  four  mats  sing  in  turn  and,  after  that, 
wine  is  again  offered  around  four  times. 

The  pair  of  old  men  reappear  and  the  speaker  again 
admonishes  those  on  the  mats  to  look  for  the  shining 
house  in  the  east,  where  the  black  clouds  are.  A  won- 
derful cloud  reaches  up  to  heaven  and  in  it  lives  the 
mocking-bird.  He  comes  out,  jumps  around,  puts  his 
head  back  and  talks.  ''Through  your  strength,"  he 
says,  addressing  the  mocking-bird  as  if  present,  ''come 
all  the  clouds  that  are,  all  the  winds  that  are,  all  the 
lightning,  all  the  thunder.  From  all  the  mountains 
spring  up  other  clouds  joining  the  rest.  It  matters  not 
how  wide  the  earth  is,  the  clouds  touch  all  the  sides. 
It  matters  not  how  many  sierras  there  are,  the  clouds 
cover  them  all.  It  matters  not  how  many  arroyos  there 
are  side  by  side,  the  clouds  cut  across  them;  nor  does  it 


6o 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


matter  how  many  small  arroyos  there  are,  the  clouds 
cover  them  all.  When  the  rain  comes  down,  the  flood 
carries  along  the  sand  and  the  loose  trunks  and  the 
sticks  and  fallen  branches,  piling  it  all  up.  The  clouds 
and  the  winds  get  up  and  stop  in  the  west,  whence  the 
rain  spreads  over  this  poor  earth.  When  shall  we  see 
this  again?'*  The  speech  was  briefly  answered  at  each 
mat,  and  from  either  side  the  friendship  which  they  all 
felt  for  each  other  was  emphasized.  The  singing  was 
quite  enjoyable  and  there  was  a  pleasing  atmosphere  of 
antiquity  about  the  proceedings.  Finally,  the  chief  arose 
to  make  a  speech  in  which  he  warned  every  one  to  be- 
have properly  while  partaking  of  the  wine  which  had 
been  brewed  in  the  houses. 

The  official  part  of  the  festival  now  being  over,  people 
repaired  to  the  houses,  where  the  sahuaro  wine  flowed 
through  the  evening  and  night.  Friends  from  the  neigh- 
boring country  added  to  the  merriment.  Both  men  and 
women  become  intoxicated  on  such  occasions,  and,  for- 
merly, quarrels  of  long  standing  were  settled  at  the  feast 
according  to  the  laws  of  the  vendetta.  Murder  used  to 
be  of  frequent  occurrence,  but,  to  prevent  the  possibility 
of  quarrels  ending  in  a  fatal  way,  the  chiefs  of  our  time 
are  wise  enough  to  gather  up  beforehand  all  the  knives, 
pistols,  and  rifles,  returning  them  to  the  owners  after  the 
conclusion  of  the  festival. 

It  should  be  noted  that  in  March,  about  the  time 
of  the  equinox,  a  ceremony,  accompanied  by  singing,  is 
performed  to  insure  a  good  sahuaro  harvest.  Seeds  of 
the  fruit  are  ground  and  put  in  a  basket  into  which  also 


UNUSUAL  VIEW  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  6i 


four  sticks,  taken  from  the  dried  plant,  are  placed,  one 
at  each  cardinal  point.  Sitting  around  the  basket, 
people  spend  a  night  singing,  while  the  medicine-man 
makes  prognostications  for  the  coming  harvest.  The 
seeds  are  eaten  by  those  present,  and  the  four  sticks  are 
given  to  four  persons  who  later,  when  the  season  comes 
around,  leave  them  at  the  foot  of  a  sahuaro. 

As  soon  as  the  Indians  were  rested  enough  after  the 
celebrations  that  ended  the  festival,  I  had  an  interview 
with  Chief  Alvina,  whom  I  found  to  be  conscientious 
about  the  information  he  imparted,  and  in  a  charmingly 
sincere  way  not  afraid  of  telling  anything.  His  father, 
who  had  died  two  years  before,  had  been  chief  before 
him.  The  Papagoes  declined  to  tell  anything  about  their 
beliefs  and  ancient  customs,  he  said,  but  he  could  see  no 
harm  in  letting  strangers  know  about  them.  Unfortu- 
nately for  me,  his  knowledge  of  those  matters  was  not 
commensurate  with  his  liberality.  Furthermore,  he  al- 
ways told  his  people  that  there  was  no  harm  in  being 
photographed.  Their  fear  he  could  not  comprehend. 
He  had  himself  been  photographed  many  times,  and  he 
never  inquired  as  to  what  they  were  going  to  do  with 
his  photograph. 

It  was  a  very  exceptional  stand  he  had  taken;  as  a 
rule,  the  Papagoes  have  the  greatest  objection  to  the 
camera.  They  are  not  afraid  of  it,  but  are  intensely 
annoyed  at  the  photographer's  efforts,  because,  in  their 
opinion,  part  of  themselves  will  be  taken  away  and  will 
always  remain  behind  after  death,  causing  much  dis- 
turbance to  the  departed,  who  in  that  way  will  be,  so 


62 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


to  speak,  only  three-quarters  complete  in  the  other  life. 
Usually  the  people  ran  away  from  my  kodak,  and  it 
was  extremely  difficult  to  photograph  them  unawares,  as 
they  are  very  keen  and  in  a  way  scent  the  impending 
danger.  A  young,  good-looking  man,  of  whom  I  asked 
permission  to  take  a  quick  photograph,  surprised  me  by 
answering  in  the  affirmative.  He  entered  his  house  to 
get  ready  for  the  fray,  saying  to  his  wife,  am  going 
to  have  my  picture  taken.  I  am  a  man  and  I  am  not 
afraid  of  seeing  myself  after  death." 

I  kept  the  honest  chief  till  late  in  the  afternoon,  when 
he  was  obliged  to  go  to  his  sahuaro  camp,  near  the  south 
end  of  the  Quijotoa  Range.  He  offered  to  return  the 
following  day,  but  I  thought  it  better  to  look  him  up 
later  on.  There  was  present  at  the  interview  a  man 
who  had  acted  as  a  singing  shaman  at  the  feast,  Juanito 
by  name.  He  owned  a  few  head  of  cattle  and  some  horses, 
and  had  been  much  with  whites,  hauling  wood  or  doing 
similar  work,  but  in  spite  of  this  he  spoke  no  English 
and  only  a  few  Spanish  words.  It  was  he  who  in  the 
excitement  of  the  feast  had  waked  me  up  in  the  middle 
of  the  night.  Some  twelve  years  ago  Juanito  had  seen 
a  Mexican  make  a  drawing,  and  last  year  it  had  occurred 
to  him  to  try  his  hand  at  this  accomplishment,  which 
had  made  a  strong  impression  on  him.  Considering  that 
this  was  his  first  and  only  effort  with  the  pencil,  the  prod- 
uct was  by  no  means  discreditable.  His  brother  posed 
for  him  on  horseback  for  half  an  hour,  in  order  that 
Juanito  might  get  a  clear  conception  of  the  subject  he 
was  going  to  draw.    Strange  to  say,  he  did  not  draw 


Using  the  ancient  hoe 


Mother  with  child  in  cradle. 


Aktjin 


AN  UNTUTORED  ARTIST  63 


him  then,  but  during  the  following  three  days  he  worked 
at  the  drawing  from  memory  in  his  spare  time,  being 
mostly  occupied  in  his  field  and  with  his  cattle.  After 
long  deliberation,  he  finally  consented  to  part  with  the 
picture  which  is  shown  on  plate.  The  horse  is  painted 
with  red  ochre  and  the  necktie  is  blue,  the  color  having 
been  bought  in  an  American  store.  The  artist  was 
about  fifty  years  old. 

Following  a  fairly  good  wagon  road  eastward  through 
the  Comobabi  Mountains,  I  first  halted  at  a  rancheria 
called  Badger's  Well,''  where  I  found  all  the  old  people 
absent  in  the  sahuaro  fields.  The  younger  generation, 
inclined  toward  the  white  man's  ways,  offered  little  of 
interest.  They  spent  much  of  their  time  in  laughter 
and  animated  talk  at  the  well,  where  they  watered  their 
cattle  and  horses.  I  noticed  a  quail  creeping  stealthily 
to  drink  from  the  overflow  of  the  water,  a  few  yards 
from  the  well.  Its  thirst  was  quickly  satisfied,  when  it 
retired  to  safety  among  the  bushes. 

A  man  sold  me  a  spur  made  from  the  cleft  of  a  mez- 
quite  bush.  It  has  a  very  sharp  point,  which  is  most 
efficient,  though  cruel.  Only  one  foot  is  thus  provided. 
A  negro  came  along,  a  rather  strange  appearance  in  this 
part  of  the  country;  he  told  of  a  silver  mine  four  miles 
east  of  there  that  he  and  half  a  dozen  of  his  race  owned. 
It  had  been  found  by  one  of  them  who  had  been  a 
prospector  for  eight  years. 

There  were  many  ants  in  my  camp,  so  I  was  glad  to 
pack  up  in  the  morning.  A  visit  was  first  made  to  the 
burial  place,  which  was  of  the  usual  unattractive  de- 


64 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


scription,  in  this  case  almost  hidden  under  huge  piles  of 
palo  verde  branches.  A  tiny  enclosure  of  upright  oco- 
tillo  stems  was  pointed  out  to  me  as  the  modern  ceme- 
tery, due  to  the  teaching  of  the  missionary.  Bundles  of 
clothing  to  be  used  by  the  deceased  had  been  placed 
among  the  branches  of  trees  near  both  cemeteries. 


CHAPTER  V 


COMOBABI— AN  ATTRACTIVE  INDIAN  FAMILY— MARIANITA— A 
HORNED  LIZARD  THAT  SPURTS  BLOOD  THROUGH  THE  EYE— 
AN  ABORIGINAL  WAY  OF  RECORDING  EVENTS— THE  PAPAGO 
CALENDAR— HARVESTING  SAHUARO— HOW  TO  KEEP  COMFORT- 
ABLE IN  GREAT  HEAT— A  VISIT  TO  CHIEF  ALVINA 

Our  next  halting  place  was  made  at  the  rancheria  of 
Comobabi,  comprising  a  somewhat  extensive  area  on  a 
beautiful  slope  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains.  Most  of 
the  houses  here,  too,  were  temporarily  abandoned  on 
account  of  the  sahuaro  harvest.  Early  in  the  afternoon 
we  drove  up  to  a  house  which  impressed  us  as  being  the 
most  hospitable  looking;  the  family  were  just  seating 
themselves  on  the  ground  outside,  to  eat  tortillas  and 
beans,  the  husband  standing  near  by  with  his  horse 
saddled.  They  received  us  as  if  we  had  always  known 
them,  although  Pablo  had  not  met  them  before.  We 
were  invited  to  share  their  food,  and,  as  soon  as  they 
were  made  to  understand  that  I  wanted  to  buy  all  sorts 
of  Indian  things,  they  cheerfully  produced  whatever  they 
had.  I  purchased  two  bags  full  of  certain  eatable  seeds, 
which  I  had  much  desired  to  procure,  also  a  meal  basket 
made  by  the  thirteen-year-old  daughter,  who  had  the 
sweet-sounding  name  of  Marianita,  although  neither 
Spanish  nor  English  was  among  the  family  accomplish- 
ments. 

65 


66 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


The  lady  of  the  house  had  in  active  use  two  of  those 
pecuhar  burden  baskets  called  kiho^  in  which  the  women 
carry  on  their  backs  loads  of  wood,  gourds,  or  pottery, 
as  the  case  may  be.  It  consists  of  an  attractive  looking 
net-work  of  mescal  fibre,  which  has  been  produced  from 
the  leaves  after  they  have  been  first  boiled.  The  net  is 
attached  to  a  hoop  which  is  fastened  between  four  long 
poles  of  sahuaro  ribs  and  is  supported  by  a  woven  band 
of  strips  of  zotol  leaves  that  passes  over  the  forehead. 
This  contrivance  is  getting  to  be  rare  in  the  Papago  coun- 
try, with  the  introduction  of  mules  and  horses,  and  the 
woman  who  owns  one  is  with  difficulty  induced  to  sell  it. 
She  spends  considerable  time  in  its  manufacture,  and  in 
an  old-fashioned  family  like  the  present  it  is  of  very  great 
usefulness  in  every-day  life.  The  black  twine  was  from 
her  children's  hair,  which  she  cut  once  a  year  until  they 
were  about  twelve  years  old.  I  expressed  an  ardent  de- 
sire to  buy  one  that  was  standing  outside  of  the  house 
against  the  wall,  and,  after  having  thought  the  matter 
over  for  a  couple  of  hours,  she  decided  to  sell  the  most 
used  one  for  five  dollars,  though  she  hated  to  do  so;  for 
an  additional  fifty  cents  she  would  mend  the  net-work 
and  put  in  a  new  plaited  band  for  the  back  and  the  head. 
The  offer  was  promptly  accepted. 

Pablo  and  I  made  a  tour  of  the  houses  of  the  ran- 
cheria,  some  of  them  being  three-quarters  of  a  mile  away. 
In  two  of  them  we  found  only  old  deaf  women  at  home, 
the  rest  of  the  families  being  at  the  harvest  of  the  savory 
cactus  fruit.  On  our  return,  toward  sunset,  our  Indian 
friend  and  little  Marianita  were  busily  engaged  in  wash- 


THE  REAL  INDIAN 


67 


ing  a  large  sleeping  mat,  plaited  from  zotol  leaves  in  the 
usual  manner,  which  I  had  also  bought.  Another,  a 
smaller  daughter,  sat  near  by,  while  on  the  roof  the  third 
child,  a  boy  of  eight  summers,  was  romping  in  a  short 
shirt,  throwing  stones  and  looking  picturesque  against 
the  blue  sky  and  the  mountains  of  Baboquivari.  One's 
photographic  propensities  are  sorely  tried  under  such 
tempting  circumstances.  As  we  approached,  the  boy 
descended.  Pablo,  at  my  bidding,  engaged  the  family 
in  conversation  and  I  tried  to  avoid  observation  while 
taking  snapshots,  for,  if  seen,  that  would  have  put  a 
speedy  end  to  the  friendship  so  happily  begun. 

This  was  an  attractive  family  that  carried  one's 
thoughts  back  to  the  Indian  of  long  ago.  The  mother 
seemed  the  incarnation  of  sterling  qualities,  well  mean- 
ing, intelligent,  and  active.  She  had  quite  an  eye  to 
business,  but  she  asked  fair  prices.  She  looked  about 
fifty,  the  picture  of  health,  and  had  borne  thirteen  chil- 
dren, nine  of  whom  were  alive;  many  of  these  were 
full-grown  and  the  youngest  was  six  years  old.  Her 
husband,  who  was  as  friendly  as  his  wife,  or  even  more 
so,  had  a  peculiar  name,  Piukvaotam,  *'He  cannot  be 
eaten"  (because  bitter  to  the  taste).  This  probably  ex- 
presses some  characteristic  of  antipathy  which  I  failed 
to  discover,  the  Indians  being  extremely  critical  in  their 
application  of  names. 

It  was  the  loth  of  July;  for  several  days  the  maxi- 
mum temperature  had  remained  at  about  100°  F.  A 
moist  wind,  somewhat  cooler,  had  been  blowing  too 
gently  for  real  comfort,  but  that  day  about  sunset  the 


68 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


air  currents  changed  and  became  dry.  In  the  evening 
the  temperature  felt  just  right,  about  85°  P.,  and  the  air, 
at  an  elevation  of  four  thousand  feet,  had  the  superb 
quality  of  the  desert. 

I  had  selected  my  camp  a  couple  of  hundred  yards 
from  the  house,  on  a  sandy,  level  ground  among  small 
mezquite  trees  and  choyas.  The  sandy  surface  was  as 
clean  as  if  man  had  never  walked  over  It;  the  Indians 
on  their  way  to  and  from  the  distant  well  at  the  foot  of 
the  mountains  all  followed  the  same  track,  and  there 
were  no  waste  paper  and  tin  cans  strewn  about  to  im- 
pair the  full  enjoyment  of  nature,  as  would  have  been  the 
case  near  civilized  man's  abodes. 

The  attractive  camp,  the  nice  family  we  had  met, 
the  addition  to  my  collections,  the  peace  and  quiet  of 
the  place  made  me  feel  happy  as  I  stretched  myself  on 
my  cot  under  the  starlit  sky,  which  seemed  so  blue  and 
cool  and  near.  A  soft  breeze  from  the  west  fanned  me 
to  sleep,  while  a  mocking-bird  kept  on  singing  its  most 
delightful  notes  in  the  dark  night.  Ye  dwellers  in  cities 
know  not  what  it  is  to  feel  your  freedom! 

Next  morning,  shortly  after  sunrise,  I  strolled  over 
to  the  house  to  see  what  my  Indian  friends  were  doing. 
The  mother  was  busy  at  work  repairing  the  burden  bas- 
ket she  had  sold  me.  She  was  just  finishing  a  new  band 
for  the  back,  which  is  plaited  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
sleeping  mat  and  from  the  same  material.  Some  Indi- 
ans rode  up  offering  for  sale  a  most  interesting  wooden 
object  that  resembled  a  broadsword,  and  which  may  be 
termed  a  hoe,  made  of  the  heavy  iron-wood  and  accord- 


AN  ANCIENT  HOE 


69 


ingly  very  strong.  This  implement,  which  is  called  kiik^ 
the  same  word  as  that  for  plough,  had,  according  to  my 
informants,  been  found  in  a  mound  in  Santa  Rosa  valley. 
It  is  extremely  rare,  though  I  later  succeeded  in  securing, 
mainly  in  the  rancherias  of  Santa  Rosa  and  Anekam, 
ten  specimens  more  which  were  kept  in  the  houses  of  the 
Indians.  It  is  not  quite  appropriate  to  call  this  imple- 
ment a  hoe,  as  it  was  employed  solely  for  the  purpose  of 
weeding.  Although  I  did  not  see  it  in  active  use,  people 
in  that  section  of  the  country  know  it  very  well.  Prob- 
ably it  is  occasionally  still  resorted  to.  The  showers, 
which  in  that  hot  climate  make  plants  grow  very  fast, 
bring  forth  in  luxuriance  weeds  that,  unless  twice  re- 
moved, would  choke  the  crops.  For  the  more  recent 
innovation  of  wheat  agriculture  during  the  winter,  one 
weeding  is  sufficient. 

When  in  use  the  wooden  hoe  is  held  by  both  hands 
in  a  more  or  less  horizontal  position,  the  left  hand  around 
the  handle,  the  right  on  the  blade,  while  the  bearer 
crawls  on  his  knees  and  cuts  in  between  the  weeds,  loos- 
ening the  roots  and  turning  them  up.  I  found  a  simpler 
form  of  the  same  implement,  smaller  in  size  and  consist- 
ing of  a  flat,  oblong  piece  of  wood  with  edge  sharpened 
in  a  similar  way,  which  was  said  to  have  been  for  the  use 
of  women. 

On  returning  with  milk  which  he  had  bought  from 
the  friendly  family,  Pablo  told  me  that  Marianita,  the 
young  girl,  had  gone  to  the  well  for  water,  a  mile  away, 
and  that  I  might  have  a  chance  to  take  a  snapshot  of 
her  when  she  returned.    After  a  while  she  appeared  at  a 


70 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


distance  with  a  big  tin  bucket  on  her  head,  but  how  much 
more  beautiful  my  small  Rebecca  would  have  looked 
carrying  an  earthen-ware  jar  of  native  workmanship. 
There  are  lots  of  pottery  vessels  still  manufactured  by 
the  Papagoes,  but  the  white  man's  implements  are  rec- 
ognized to  be  more  practical.  I  suppose  the  change  is 
unavoidable,  but  the  bucket  was  distinctly  disappoint- 
ing to  my  photographic  sense.  Before  she  approached 
my  vantage  point,  an  Indian  met  her  who  evidently  asked 
for  a  drink,  for  he  Hfted  the  heavy  bucket  down,  drank, 
and  put  it  on  her  head  again.  When  I  gave  her  some 
candy  after  the  short  and  unexpected  ordeal,  she  looked 
frightened.  She  stepped  along  quickly,  showing  some- 
what that  she  felt  the  weight  that  she  had  been  carrying 
for  fifteen  minutes.  This  was  six  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing and,  on  rising,  she  had  first  helped  her  mother  milk 
the  cows. 

Half  an  hour  afterward  she  again  passed  my  camp; 
this  time  she  was  bound  for  the  sahuaro  fields  along  the 
base  of  the  mountains.  The  girl  of  thirteen  years  walked 
fast,  carrying  over  one  shoulder  the  long  stick  with 
which  the  fruit  is  brought  down.  Two  hours  later  she 
returned  with  a  small  bucket  full  of  the  juicy  fruit,  on 
which  a  newly  arrived  guest  and  the  rest  of  the  family 
gorged  themselves,  while  she  sat  near  by  resting.  She 
did  not  look  tired,  however,  and  I  saw  her  later  helping 
her  mother  make  wheat  biscuits,  baking  them  in  an  oven 
adopted  from  the  Mexicans. 

It  was  a  great  pleasure  to  be  with  these  natural  people. 
I  sang  to  them  my  newly  acquired  Papago  song,  *'The 


REMARKABLE  HABIT  OF  A  LIZARD 


Frog  Doctor/'  one  that  is  used  at  the  sahuaro  festival, 
and  ingratiated  myself  in  their  favor.  The  mother,  al- 
ways busy  in  doing  something  about  the  house,  was  en- 
gagingly free  and  easy  in  her  manner.  I  ventured  to  ask 
if  I  might  not  photograph  her;  she  looked  disturbed,  but 
after  a  while  consented  if  I  would  promise  not  to  show 
her  picture  in  Tucson.  She  had  the  burden  basket  on 
her  head,  appropriately  enough  for  a  woman  of  energy 
and  activity,  but  her  whole  being  had  suddenly  changed, 
and  it  was  impossible  to  make  her  walk  and  look  natural. 
Her  face  was  flushed,  she  looked  embarrassed,  and  made 
a  poor  picture. 

In  spite  of  presents  to  the  children,  they  all  stead- 
fastly declined  to  be  photographed.  However,  sitting 
down  to  catalogue  my  lately  acquired  ethnological  ob- 
jects in  the  shade  of  a  jacal,  I  found  opportunities  for 
snapshots  while  pretending  to  write.  When  Pablo  took 
the  horses  and  my  dog  to  the  well,  I  hugely  enjoyed  a 
rub  down  from  my  wash  basin,  as  well  as  a  change  of 
clothing,  and  soon  we  were  off  again  on  the  road. 

At  this  rancheria  I  had  a  curious  experience  in  the 
morning  with  a  horned  lizard  (phrynosoma),  rather  dark 
in  color,  which  my  terrier  pursued  for  eight  or  ten  yards, 
when  it  flattened  itself  out  and  refused  to  run  any  more. 
The  dog  was  watching  for  it  to  move  and  I  stepped  up. 
When  put  on  its  back  it  would  immediately  turn  over; 
stooping  down,  I  tried  in  vain  to  tease  it  to  run  again, 
but  it  remained  immobile.  I  was  just  about  to  rise  and 
leave  when,  to  my  great  surprise,  a  spray  of  what  appeared 
to  be  blood  was  dashed  on  my  right  hand,  which  was 


72 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


from  eight  to  ten  inches,  not  less  than  eight,  distant  from 
the  animal.  I  did  not  notice  whence  the  fluid  came,  but 
I  observed  that  its  left  eye  was  bloody;  in  other  ways  it 
seemed  normal,  and  had  evidently  not  been  maltreated  by 
the  dog,  which  feared  its  spines.  On  my  return  to  civili- 
zation I  find  that  the  singular  habit  of  ejecting  blood 
from  the  eyes,  peculiar  to  this  animal,  is  known  to  the 
ranchmen  of  the  region  of  its  habitat,  both  Mexican  and 
American,  and  that  it  also  has  been  brought  to  the  atten- 
tion of  men  of  science.  It  has  been  suggested  that  the 
habit  is  practised  only  during  the  time  of  the  shedding  of 
the  skin. 

The  night  spent  at  the  next  rancheria  in  the  Babo- 
quivari  Range  was  disturbed  by  the  constant,  melancholy, 
low  howling  of  a  dog  mourning  the  absence  of  the  family. 
He  was  a  very  old  dog,  a  black  and  white  cur,  with  an 
honest-looking  face.  Usually  Indian  dogs  have  little 
reason  for  loving  their  masters,  who  show  them  small 
consideration.  After  having  visited  a  new  Indian  settle- 
ment called  San  Pedro,  in  the  Roskruge  Range,  where 
there  is  excellent  water  in  a  well  twenty-six  feet  deep,  we 
continued  our  trip  for  six  miles  northward  along  the 
western  foot-hills.  There  are  extensive  sahuaro  forests 
in  this  undulating  country,  which  were  unusually  pict- 
uresque in  the  afternoon  sun.  We  came  across  one  or 
two  camps  of  Indians  who  were  gathering  the  much- 
relished  fruit. 

At  dusk  vv^e  met  two  young  men  on  horseback  return- 
ing from  a  shooting  expedition,  who  presented  us  with 
half  a  deer  tenderloin  and  some  ribs.    My  aim  was  to 


Among  its  branches  bundles  of  clothing  for  the  departed 


AN  OLD  MAN'S  NOTES 


73 


reach  the  camp  of  the  man  who  possessed  the  calendar 
record  of  which  the  Indians  had  told  me.  It  grew  pitch 
dark  before  our  day's  journey  was  over,  a  large  blazing 
fire,  which  enlightened  us  as  to  the  position  of  the 
camp,  guiding  us  from  some  distance.  Our  arrival 
naturally  caused  surprise,  but  was  easily  explained,  and 
the  man  promised  to  show  his  calendar  stick  the  next 
morning. 

This  calendar,  which,  as  far  as  I  know,  is  the  only 
one  existing  in  the  tribe,  is  an  attempt  at  keeping  a 
record  of  events  by  various  marks  on  a  wooden  stick. 
Made  from  pine  board,  it  is  seventy-nine  inches  in  length 
and  one  and  one-quarter  inches  broad  at  the  middle, 
narrowing  toward  the  ends,  and  about  an  inch  thick  at 
the  centre,  which  is  the  thickest. 

The  old  man,  when  fifteen  years  of  age,  had  taken  it 
into  his  head  to  begin  a  record  of  the  events  of  his  life, 
giving  to  each  year  a  space  of  about  an  inch  on  the 
stick,  separating  one  year  from  another  by  a  transverse 
notch.  He  thus  made  one  notch  for  each  year  that 
passed,  and  their  number  had  now  reached  sixty-seven. 
The  events  of  the  year  are  depicted  by  crosses,  dots, 
lines  in  various  positions,  as  zigzags,  angles,  parallels, 
etc.,  and,  as  they  have  significance  and  meaning  only  to 
him,  are  less  interesting  from  the  point  of  view  of  the 
markings  than  from  the  events  recorded.  More  than  one 
kind  of  mark  is  rarely  applied  for  each  year.  As  the 
record  of  happenings  that  appeared  to  him  important, 
accompanied  by  his  own  explanations,  may  be  of  inter- 
est, I  shall  give  here  the  principal  ones: 


74 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


In  1849:  Unusual  snowfall,  killing  men  and  beasts. 

In  1850:   Successful  attacks  by  the  Apaches  on  the  Maricopa  at 

Red  Rock,  as  well  as  on  the  Papago  near  Magdalena, 

Sonora. 

In  1 851:  Severe  disease,  called  "black  vomit,"  appeared.  Its  symp- 
toms were  painful  fits  and  cramps.  Dark-colored  blood 
would  flow  from  the  mouth.  When  the  sufferer  vomited, 
it  was  a  sign  of  relief.  Many  Indians  died,  including  some 
medicine-men.     (This  may  have  been  yellow  fever.) 

In  1852  and  1853:  Papagoes  repelled  attacks  by  the  Apaches  in 
Arizona. 

In  1854:  Papagoes  fought  with  the  Apaches  at  Santa  Ana,  Sonora. 
In  1855  and  1856:  Death  of  relatives. 

In  1857:  American  soldiers  were  killed  by  Mexicans  at  Caborca. 

(This  alludes  to  the  defeat  of  the  filibusters  under  Captain 
Crabbe.) 

In  1858:  Birth  of  a  girl  relative.  She  afterward  became  makai  (medi- 
cine-man.) 

In  1859:  The  Papagoes  in  the  winter  went  to  dance  with  the  Pimas, 
below  Sacaton,  in  order  to  secure  wheat.  (It  was  also  the 
custom  for  the  Pima  to  help  at  the  feasts  of  the  Papago, 
the  reward  being  in  either  case  grain  or  domestic  animals.) 

In  i860:  Prominent  chief  died. 

In  1 861:  Papagoes  in  Mexico  engaged  the  Apaches  and  were  victori- 
ous. The  booty,  consisting  of  shields,  bows,  and  arrows, 
was  sold  to  the  Mexicans  for  mescal  brandy  and  maize. 

In  1862:  A  fight  with  the  Apaches  in  Mexico. 

In  1863:  His  first  marriage  took  place. 

In  1864:  His  first  child  was  born. 

In  1865:  Apaches  captured  one  Papago,  who  later  escaped. 
In  1871:  Apaches  made  peace  with  the  whites  at  Arivaipa. 
In  1874:  Apaches  attacked  San  Xavier. 

In  1875:  Ball  games  with  foot-racing  at  Caborca,  Sonora.  He  won  in 
betting,  one  horse,  saddle,  and  bridle. 

In  1876:  Disease,  accompanied  by  the  loss  of  hair.  Many  died.  (Per- 
haps this  was  typhoid  fever.) 

In  1880:  The  railroad  arrived  at  Tucson. 


A  RECORD  OF  EVENTS 


In  1881:  A  relative  became  crazy,  killed  his  wife  with  a  knife,  and 
then  himself. 

In  1882:  First  fiesta  in  Mexican  fashion  took  place  at  a  rancheria 
which  formerly  existed  where  at  present  the  Indian  Oasis 
is.  (This  means  that  the  Indians  of  Arizona  began  to 
adopt  the  social  gathering  in  use  among  the  Mexicans, 
without  imparting  any  religious  importance  to  the  festival. 
A  fiesta  among  Mexicans  always  includes  dancing,  which, 
in  our  time,  has  been  adopted  by  the  Papagoes  of  Sonora, 
but  generally  not  in  Arizona.  On  the  occasion  related,  the 
people  danced  one  by  one  in  a  circle.) 

In  1885:  A  visit  to  a  Pima  feast.  Many  singers  went,  and  many 
others,  all  well  dressed. 

In  1887:  An  earthquake  in  the  "flowers  disappear"  moon. 

In  1889:  The  Pima  took  part  in  a  dance  in  order  to  secure  cattle. 
This  was  in  the  "dry  grass"  moon. 

In  1890:  A  feast  at  San  Xavier  in  the  "dry  grass  moon." 

In  1891:  San  Xavier  Indians  came  to  dance  at  Kvitatk  (near  the 
"Pump-house"  near  Horseshoe). 

In  1893:  A  foot-race  at  Kvitatk  in  "inner  bone"  moon  (winter).  The 
racers  starting  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  ran  as  far  as 
Santa  Rosa,  returning  at  dark  (about  8  p.m.). 

In  1897:  Foot-races  at  Aktjin. 

In  1898:  Two  nephews  put  in  prison  in  Yuma  for  smuggling  mescal 
brandy. 

In  1899:  Two  relatives  imprisoned  in  Tucson  for  stealing  cattle. 
In  1901:  He  was  isolated  at  Tucson  on  account  of  small-pox  in  the 
family. 

In  1902:  A  foot-race  at  Tjeavolitak. 

In  1903:  A  foot-race  at  Kvitatk. 

In  1904:  The  purification  of  girls  in  the  winter. 

In  1907 :  His  friends  put  in  jail  for  fighting  at  a  sahuaro  feast  at  Kvitatk. 

In  1908:  Many  Papagoes  that  were  attending  the  fiesta  of  San  Fran- 
cisco in  Magdalena,  Sonora,  were  imprisoned  for  resisting 
the  Mexican  authorities  when  being  pressed  into  military 
service  to  fight  the  Yaqui.  A  chief  from  San  Xavier  went 
down  to  Magdalena  and  helped  them  to  get  out. 


76 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


During  recent  years  he  has  been  bhnd,  but  a  friend 
and  his  wife  have  assisted  him  in  placing  marks  accord- 
ing to  his  directions.  The  event  of  this  ensuing  year 
would  be  the  visit  of  ''Carlos"  to  his  sahuaro  camp,  he 
said.  I  append  here  the  Papago  calendar  which  divides 
the  year  into  thirteen  "moons,"  or  mars  at  in  the  native 
language. 

THE  PAPAGO  CALENDAR 

1.  Tonjapik  Marsat,  Hot  Moon  {tonj,  hot). 

2.  Tjokiapik  Marsat,  Rainy  Moon. 

3.  Shopol  Usapik  Marsat,  Short  Planting  Moon. 

4.  Varsa  Kakitak  Marsat,  Dry  Grass  Moon  (kakitak,  dry). 

5.  Vihamik  Marsat,  Touches  Mildly  Moon.    (The  cold  touches 

mildly.) 

6.  Jomali  Suipitik  Marsat,  Low  Cold  Moon  (jomali,  low). 

7.  Uta  Vaokat  Marsat,  Inner  Bone  Moon.    (The  middle  of  the 

winter.)    It  is  also  called  Ku  Suipitik,  Big  Cold. 

8.  Ovalik  Marsat,  In  Heat  Moon.   (When  the  animals  are  in  heat.) 

9.  Kihotak  Marsat  (untranslatable).    Meaning:   When  the  ani- 

mals have  lost  their  fat. 

10.  Komaki  Marsat,  Gray  Moon  {komak,  gray).    (When  the  trees 

are  without  leaves.) 

11.  Tjuutaki  Marsat,  Green  Moon  (stjuutak,  light  blue  or  light 

green). 

12.  Oam  Marsat,  Yellow  Moon  (usually  suvdni,  yellow).  (Yellow 

flowers  on  trees,  bushes,  and  plants,  such  as  the  palo  verde, 
the  greasewood,  century  plants  and  cacti.) 

13.  Hikokiapik  Marsat,  Flowers  Disappear  Moon.    (Plants  begin 

to  make  fruit.) 

The  old  man  was  amply  rewarded  for  his  interview 
and  consented  to  be  photographed,  though  his  wife,  with 
the  usual  Papago  ignorance  of  money  value,  prevented 


A  SAHUARO  CAMP 


77 


me  from  finishing  the  operation  by  telhng  him  to  ask 
eight  additional  dollars  for  his  consent. 

Their  camp  consisted  simply  of  a  roof  of  branches 
resting  on  four  poles,  sufficient  to  provide  some  shade 
during  the  day.  Early  in  the  morning  all  the  female 
members  of  the  household  could  be  seen  proceeding  on 
their  fruit-gathering  expedition,  each  armed  with  a  large 
basket  and  the  usual  pole,  about  twenty  feet  long  and 
made  from  two  pieces  of  sahuaro  rib.  At  the  top  of  the 
pole,  as  well  as  lower  down,  there  is  a  kind  of  hook 
made  by  tying  crosswise  in  these  two  places  a  small 
piece  of  greasewood  by  the  aid  of  which  the  spiny  fruit 
is  broken  off.  Two  or  three  hours  later  they  returned, 
each  carrying  on  her  head  her  share  of  a  heavy  har- 
vest. The  skin  with  its  spines  had  been  removed  in 
the  field,  so  the  inside  of  the  huge  water-tight  basket 
presented  an  appetizing  mass  of  crimson  fruit  pulp,  as 
well  as  a  great  amount  of  similarly  colored  juice,  which 
would  keep  for  a  few  hours  only.  Most  of  the  contents 
of  the  baskets  was  immediately  emptied  into  large  jars, 
to  be  boiled  for  about  two  hours,  when  the  mass  is 
strained  in  order  to  separate  the  numerous  small  black 
seeds.  The  juice  is  boiled  for  hours  longer  until  it  be- 
comes sirup  (sitoli),  which  is  kept  for  future  use  in  small 
earthen-ware  jars,  each  neatly  sealed  with  a  piece  of 
broken  pottery  and  sticky  mud.  Being  pleasant  to  the 
taste  and  niuch  superior  to  molasses,  I  found  this  sirup 
excellent  as  part  of  my  provisions.  I  also  relished  the 
fresh  juice  of  the  fruit  when  brought  in  cool  in  the 
morning. 


78 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


I  had  taken  my  notes  in  a  temperature  of  107°  F.  in 
the  shade  of  the  jacal;  at  dawn  that  day  the  temperature 
had  been  74°  F.  and  I  actually  awoke  from  feehng  cold. 
During  the  previous  five  days  the  maximum  temperature 
had  been  above  100^  F.,  and  the  heat  still  continued  as 
high  for  three  days  more.  No  clouds  had  appeared  for 
several  evenings  and  the  rains  were  delayed.  It  cer- 
tainly felt  warm  as  we  travelled  along  on  our  return 
journey  to  San  Pedro.  No  shade,  as  that  word  is  under- 
stood in  other  climes,  is  found  anywhere;  the  palo  verde 
is  seldom  very  serviceable  for  this  purpose,  and  the  best 
tree  for  shade  is  the  mezquite,  but  on  such  days  as  these 
the  fierce  rays  of  the  sun  easily  penetrate  its  somewhat 
scanty  foliage,  even  the  ground  underneath  the  tree  be- 
coming heated.  It  was  difficult  to  make  the  air  circu- 
late under  our  wagon  cover,  and  we  found  ourselves  in  a 
heat  as  great  as  that  of  a  Turkish  bath.  Still  it  is  good 
policy  to  make  the  most  of  every  favoring  circumstance, 
so  we  always  stopped  for  lunch  near  some  mezquite  tree, 
built  a  fire  by  which  we  made  coffee,  and  had  some 
canned  goods  and  puffed  wheat  with  evaporated  milk  to 
eat.  The  coffee  especially,  when  made  well,  was  very 
acceptable.  After  that  we  continued  our  journey  greatly 
refreshed  and  actually  cooler.  My  dog,  however,  did  not 
know  what  to  do  with  himself,  refusing  steadfastly  to 
eat  during  the  day;  his  favorite  place  was  in  the  wagon, 
under  the  seat,  on  top  of  a  box. 

On  July  15  the  oppressive  heat  was  lessened  toward 
evening  by  a  violent  storm  from  the  south-east,  which 
darkened  the  atmosphere  first  with  dust,  then  an  hour 


A  LARGE  SUMMER  RANCHERIA 


later  with  welcome  black  clouds  which  poured  down 
considerable  rain.  The  storm  passed  from  Indian  Oasis 
over  Tucson,  where,  as  I  later  learned,  it  damaged  the 
roof  of  the  new  hotel.  Some  more  rain  the  following 
evening  and  night  made  the  outlook  bright  for  continued 
travel.  We  were  soon  on  the  road  again  westward  bound 
for  Chief  Alvina's  sahuaro  camp.  After  the  somewhat 
vague  indication  as  to  its  location  being  near  the  southern 
part  of  the  Quijotoa  Range,  we  had  been  left  to  our  own 
instincts  of  orientation  to  find  it. 

On  arriving  at  the  so-called  Pump-house,"  near  the 
Quijotoa  Range,  I  made  a  detour  of  thirteen  miles  south- 
ward to  the  great  summer  rancheria  Kuoitak  (Big  Field), 
in  order  to  make  sure  that  the  recent  showers  had  not 
already  induced  the  chief  to  leave  his  sahuaro  harvest 
for  agricultural  pursuits.  It  was  surprising  to  find  such 
a  large  cultivated  area  in  the  wilderness.  It  was  over 
two  miles  long,  from  east  to  west,  and  a  half  mile  wide, 
consisting,  of  course,  of  many  small  adjoining  farms,  all 
fenced  in  by  loosely  made  mezquite  fences.  The  late 
showers  had  certainly  been  eflFectual  in  bringing  about 
changes.  Pools  of  water  enlivened  the  landscape  here 
and  there,  and  even  some  grass  had  begun  to  appear, 
scarcely  forty-eight  hours  after  the  rain.  Birds  were 
singing  in  a  lively  manner,  and  there  was  spring  in  the 
air,  but  evidently  the  Indians  did  not  consider  the  rain 
of  sufficient  quantity  to  justify  them  in  beginning  their 
ploughing.  In  July  or  August,  as  soon  as  they  are  as- 
sured of  the  soil  being  well  soaked,  they  immediately 
repair  to  their  summer  rancherias.    So  far,  only  one 


8o 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


family  had  arrived,  so  we  continued  our  journey  toward 
the  southern  end  of  the  Quijotoa  Range. 

In  the  evening  mosquitoes  and  other  insects  gathered 
around  the  lantern  and  small  brown  beetles  crawled  in- 
side of  my  trousers  or  through  my  hair,  reminding  me  of 
tropical  climates.  Next  morning,  before  starting,  I  had 
a  refreshing  bath  in  a  small  water-hole,  while  a  butcher- 
bird {lanius)  in  a  near-by  bush  sang  with  all  his  might, 
apparently  enjoying  the  changed  conditions  as  much  as 
myself.  This  bird  was  often  seen  in  the  desert,  often 
far  from  water.  Although  the  thermometer  registered  as 
high  as  92°  F.  in  the  warmest  part  of  the  day,  still  the 
atmosphere,  refreshed  by  the  storms,  felt  remarkably 
cool,  and  the  weather  was  cloudy. 

The  southern  part  of  the  somewhat  extensive  Qui- 
jotoa Range,  separated  from  the  rest,  is  called  by  the 
Papago,  Kihotoak  {ktho^  burden  basket;  toak^  moun- 
tain), said  to  be  derived  from  its  shape.  The  Spanish 
name  of  the  whole  range  is  a  corruption  of  this  native 
name.  I  was  glad  to  find  Chief  Alvina  in  his  camp, 
which  was  in  close  proximity  to  great  forests  of  sahuaro 
on  the  slopes  along  the  eastern  base  of  the  mountains. 
He  brought  me  as  a  welcome  some  pitahaya  fruit  which 
tasted  remarkably  well.  All  the  rest  of  the  fruit  gatherers 
had  already  left,  for  the  sahuaro  season  was  over,  though 
there  were  still  to  be  found  pitahayas,  the  other  savory 
cactus  fruit  of  the  region.  There  was  no  pasture;  our 
horses  fed  on  rolled  oats,  besides  relishing  the  leaves  of 
the  palo  fierro  (iron-wood)  tree. 

The  chief  was  perfectly  willing  to  be  interviewed  for 


DRENCHED  IN  THE  DESERT  8i 


hours.  He  thought  the  number  of  the  Papagoes  was 
decreasing.  Few  old  men  were  seen  any  more.  The 
food  which  is  gradually  supplanting  their  native  dishes 
is  injurious  to  the  health  of  the  Papago.  Children  were 
no  longer  obedient.  The  young  men  nowadays  are 
seized  with  restlessness  and  want  to  leave  for  other  parts 
of  the  country;  nobody  takes  care  of  them,  and  they  die 
early,  he  complained.  We  took  a  walk  together,  and  he 
pointed  out  to  me  the  ripe  nuts  of  the  jojobdy  a  bush  of 
common  occurrence  in  that  country.  They  are  eaten  by 
the  Indians  and  have  rather  a  pleasant  flavor.  As  they 
contain  a  great  deal  of  oil,  they  might  compete  with  pea- 
nuts in  the  oil  industry  of  the  world,  were  it  not  for  the 
slow  growth  of  the  bush.  Mr.  M.  G.  Levy,  mine-owner 
and  store-keeper  in  Ajo,  thinks  that  they  will  prove  of 
importance  as  cattle  food  and  that  they  should  be  culti- 
vated. Among  the  frontier  population  the  oil  has  great 
reputation  as  a  hair  restorer. 

On  two  afternoons  we  had  quite  heavy  showers,  and 
I  felt  some  regret  at  having  disposed  of  my  large,  though 
inconvenient  tent  at  Indian  Oasis,  taking  with  me  only 
the  fly.  Pablo  and  I  were  drenched  and  so  were  our 
blankets.  It  would  have  been  difficult  to  make  a  fire 
but  for  the  presence  of  the  small  resinous  bush  called 
tovosoy  which  burned  lustily  in  spite  of  being  dripping 
wet.  We  tore  the  bushes  up  entire  and  kept  up  a  bon- 
fire by  which  we  dried  ourselves  and  cooked  our  food.  I 
began  to  wonder  whether  this  could  truthfully  be  called 
a  desert. 


CHAPTER  VI 


HORSESHOE  IN  THE  QUIJOTOA  RANGE— INDIANS  AS  MINERS 
—SPENDING  A  NIGHT  UNDER  DIFFICULTIES— DELIGHTFUL 
NATIVES— A  WOMAN'S  GAME— SANTA  ROSA  RANCHERIA— THE 
GREAT  HARVEST  FEAST  OF  SANTA  ROSA 

After  an  affectionate  leave-taking  from  good  Chief 
Alvina,  we  departed  northward  for  Horseshoe,  eating,  as 
we  travelled  along,  delicious  pitahayas  with  which  we 
had  provided  ourselves.  Eight  miles  before  arriving  at 
our  destination  we  passed  on  the  llano  the  pump-house 
that  had  once  been  placed  over  a  deep  well,  which,  ac- 
cording to  trustworthy  information,  is  five  hundred  and 
twenty  feet  deep.  It  has  an  abundance  of  water  from  an 
undercurrent  and  was  once  the  pulse  of  a  short-lived, 
though  intense,  mining  activity.  If  the  information  that 
reached  me  is  correct,  the  discovery  of  a  bonanza  silver 
mine  of  very  rich  ore  started  a  boom  here  nearly  twenty 
years  ago.  Several  thousand  people  gathered,  the  usual 
fabulous  prices  were  paid  for  corner  lots,  and  telegraph 
and  telephone  lines  were  established  with  Tucson.  To- 
day the  silence  of  death  reigns  here;  the  roads  have  been 
obliterated,  the  houses  have  disappeared,  as  also  have 
the  telegraph  poles,  and  there  is  no  sign  of  any  former 
activity.  I  should  have  felt  inclined  to  consider  the  whole 
thing  a  fable  but  for  the  unattractive  remains  of  the 

pump-house,  which  the  Indians  have  annexed,  building  a 

83 


PAPAGO  PLACER  MINING  83 


few  houses  near  it  and  naming  their  rancheria  from  the 
tall  chimney.  Five  miles  north  is  a  rancheria  called 
Sikulhimat  ("where  the  water  goes  around."  Sikul, 
round).  Here,  according  to  the  Indians,  the  drainage 
of  rain  water  flows  toward  the  Gila  River;  south  of  that 
place  it  flows  toward  Mexico. 

Horseshoe  is  the  name  of  a  once  noted  placer  mine, 
the  surface  of  which  has  been  worked  out.  There  are 
gold  mines  of  a  similar  nature  around  the  southern  end 
of  the  Quijotoa  Range.  Judge  Day  has  a  store  at  Horse- 
shoe and  buys  gold  from  the  Indians,  who  still,  during 
the  winter,  keep  up  the  "dry-washing"  process  here, 
using  for  the  purpose  the  machines  that  are  common  to 
the  neighboring  district  of  Altar,  in  Sonora.  The  Indians 
are  even  able  to  make  the  machines  themselves.  Judge 
Day  is  a  man  of  intelligence  and  much  common-sense, 
and,  having  lived  here  since  1893,  was  able  to  give  re- 
liable information  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  region. 
According  to  him  the  padres  from  San  Xavier  Mission, 
two  hundred  years  ago,  found  the  placer  mines  of  Qui- 
jotoa. He  showed  me  some  nice  nuggets  of  small  sizes 
which  he  had  lately  bought.  Five  years  ago  the  Ind- 
ians found  free  gold  in  a  piece  of  quartz  which  was 
worth  one  thousand  six  hundred  dollars.  After  that 
eighty  Papago  and  a  few  Yaqui  Indians  worked  here  for 
half  a  year,  taking  out  in  value  between  ten  thousand 
and  twelve  thousand  dollars.  Judge  Day  buying  most 
of  the  gold.  The  relations  between  the  miners — all 
Indians — were  cordial.  When  any  of  them  had  found 
a  rich  spot,  he  would  tell  it  to  the  others,  and  next  morn- 


84 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


ing  the  crowd  would  begin  to  work  as  near  him  as  pos- 
sible. No  ill  feeling  or  fights  ensued;  they  would  each 
earn  from  four  to  five  dollars  a  day.  The  miners  when 
coming  home  would  always  wash  after  changing  their 
clothes.  Considering  the  trouble  of  getting  water  at  the 
only  well,  their  cleanliness  may  be  considered  an  example 
even  to  whites.  The  women  are  particularly  cleanly, 
and  wash  their  own  clothes  frequently  as  well  as  those 
of  their  husbands. 

Judge  Day  and  his  family,  who  have  been  living 
here  among  the  Indians  for  so  long  a  time,  gave  very 
good  reports  of  their  neighbors.  He  had  spent  twenty- 
two  years  among  Indians,  and  considered  the  Papago  the 
safest.  "As  a  rule,  they  are  honest,^'  he  said,  though 
there  are  scalawags  among  them,  but  these  are  discred- 
ited by  their  own  race.  The  women  will  steal  trifles, 
picking  up  a  rope  or  the  like,  but  the  men  will  sel- 
dom do  that.  The  store  often  gives  an  Indian  twenty 
dollars  on  credit,  and  he  will  apologize  if  he  does  not 
pay  in  ninety  days.  These  Indians,  like  the  Mexicans, 
are  pleased  to  be  in  debt,  because  they  consider  it  an 
honor  to  be  trusted.  If  the  average  native  says  he  will 
pay  his  debt,  he  will  do  so." 

Like  all  Indians,  the  Papagoes  are  kind  to  their 
children,  the  father  no  less  than  the  mother.  An  Ind- 
ian couple  were  purchasing  some  articles  in  the  store 
while  I  was  present;  their  strong  and  fat  infant  was 
crying  continuously  in  its  mother's  arms,  she  trying 
vainly  to  stop  its  wails.  Finally,  I  saw  her,  with  a  few 
words,  hand  the  babe  to  her  husband,  a  boyish,  good- 


THE  BENEFIT  OF  EXERCISE  85 


looking  man  and  apparently  younger  than  herself.  He 
took  the  howling  nuisance  gently  and  walked  resolutely 
off  into  the  hot  sun.  I  wondered  what  was  going  to 
happen.  He  went  straight  to  the  well,  gave  the  fretful 
youngster  a  bath,  and  returned  in  a  few  minutes  with  his 
purpose  accomplished. 

It  may  be  of  interest  to  note  the  manner  in  which  the 
daughter  of  the  American  family  at  Horseshoe,  who 
when  twelve  or  thirteen  years  old  was  in  poor  health, 
grew  to  be  strong  and  well.  Being  brought  up  with  the 
Indians,  whose  language  she  speaks,  she  taught  herself 
the  accomplishment  of  every  Indian  girl,  to  carry  a  water- 
jar  on  her  head.  This  made  her  healthy,  and  now  she 
weighs  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds. 

To  the  north  of  here,  only  about  six  miles,  travel- 
ling by  the  track,  is  an  important  rancheria,  Tjmvak 
Where  Something  Decayed"),  lying  among  low  hills 
in  the  Quijotoa  Range,  where  a  road  passes  from  east 
to  west.  I  was  desirous  of  seeing  the  best-known 
basket-maker  who  lives  here,  but  she,  like  the  rest,  had 
just  left  for  the  summer  ranch.  The  place  looked  much 
like  a  village,  but  was  temporarily  abandoned  on  account 
of  the  season,  so  we  continued  our  journey  northward 
by  an  excellent  road  that  had  been  furnished  mainly 
by  nature.  It  was  a  slightly  downhill  drive,  the  coun- 
try now  almost  imperceptibly  sloping  toward  the  Gila 
River. 

We  arrived  late  at  a  summer  rancheria  with  the  some- 
what disconcerting  native  name,  ''Dead  Old  Man's 
Well."    Here  we  expected  to  find  the  people  of  the  win- 


86 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


ter  habitations  we  had  just  left  behind.  The  night  was 
pitch-dark  with  overhanging  nimbus  clouds,  and  thunder, 
more  or  less  distant,  was  heard  all  around  us.  The  air 
felt  sultry  and  quite  a  strong  wind  had  begun  to  blow, 
as  if  warning  us  of  an  advancing  storm.  Big  fires  were 
burning  outside  of  the  houses,  which  looked  hospitable 
enough.  But  this  was  a  night  which  one  would  not 
exactly  like  to  pass  out-of-doors,  so  I  asked  Pablo  to 
hurry  in  and  see  if  he  could  not  secure  a  house  in  which 
we  might  have  sleeping  quarters.  As  good  luck  would 
have  it,  a  friend  of  ours  whose  acquaintance  we  had  made 
at  the  feast  of  Noria  was  here.  He  had  come  from  the 
Comobabi  Mountains  to  cultivate  the  fields  with  the  rest, 
and  he  helped  us  to  obtain  lodgings  for  the  night.  A 
small  storehouse  was  placed  at  our  disposal,  and  as  we 
drove  up  in  the  wagon  some  girls  were  busily  carrying 
things  out  in  order  to  give  us  more  space  inside. 

It  was  a  tiny  shed,  built  of  upright  mezquite  poles 
calked  and  plastered  inside  and  outside  with  mud.  The 
roof,  which  was  made  of  sahuaro  ribs  and  greasewood 
branches,  with  a  cover  of  earth  on  top,  was  water-proof, 
all  care  having  been  taken  to  make  it  secure  against  the 
rain,  for  here  the  provisions  of  the  family,  their  house- 
hold goods,  clothes,  and  other  earthly  possessions  were 
stored.  Air  had  access  only  through  the  door-opening, 
which  was  exactly  one  and  a  half  feet  wide.  Owing  to 
an  all-day's  summer  sun  the  storehouse  was  extremely 
hot,  and  as  I  entered  my  lodging  the  temperature  was 
so  oppressive  that  it  was  almost  stifling;  still,  as  the  wind 
was  blowing  with  increased  force  and  lightning  at  more 


A  NIGHT  IN  A  STOREHOUSE  87 


frequent  intervals  lit  up  the  darkness  outside,  the  little 
house  offered  protection  for  the  night,  and  gave  a  feeling 
of  comfort  such  as  our  savage  ancestors  must  have  felt 
when  resorting  to  a  cave  just  in  time  to  escape  a  drench- 
ing. Big  jars,  gourds,  sacks  containing  maize,  wheat, 
sahuaro  seeds,  and  other  edible  wild  seeds  were  lying 
about  in  the  corners.  There  was  not  much  space  left, 
but  by  adjusting  things  our  baggage  was  safely  stored 
and  we  had  our  frugal  supper  while  the  rain  poured  down. 

Pablo  went  to  arrange  for  his  bedding  with  the  Ind- 
ians, while  I  managed  to  place  my  cot  backward  from 
the  door-opening,  filling  up  all  the  space  left.  Near  my 
head,  in  a  box  in  a  corner,  a  hen  with  small  chickens 
was  sitting.  She  had  a  curious  way  of  poking  her  beak 
against  the  box  two  or  three  times  a  minute,  almost  with 
the  regularity  of  clock-work.  It  was  as  if  the  habit  of 
using  her  beak  to  help  feed  her  large  family  had  grown 
on  her  to  such  an  extent  that  she  continued  doing  it 
automatically  through  the  night.  To  listen  to  this  be- 
came a  nuisance,  but  I  was  too  tired  to  allow  it  to  inter- 
fere with  my  sleep.  After  a  while  I  awoke  from  the 
intolerable  heat,  bathed  in  perspiration.  I  undid  my 
bed  to  push  it  through  the  narrow  opening,  and  leaving 
the  hen  to  continue  her  pecking,  put  my  cot  outside 
where  the  rain  had  ceased.  The  air  felt  cool  and  fresh 
now,  and  at  dawn  even  a  feeling  of  chilliness  interrupted 
my  slumber,  but  I  continued  to  sleep  until  after  sunrise 
in  spite  of  the  cackling  of  fowls,  the  barking  of  dogs, 
and  the  Indians  moving  and  talking  all  around  me. 

It  was  Sunday  morning,  July  25,  and  I  awoke  well 


88  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


rested,  though  at  an  inconceivably  late  hour  for  that 
country,  for  the  sun  had  been  nearly  half  an  hour  above 
the  horizon.  The  men  had  gone  to  plough  the  fields,  but 
lots  of  women  and  girls  and  a  few  young  men  had  gathered 
waiting  for  me  to  get  up.  They  had  brought  many  ob- 
jects, which  they  understood  I  wanted  to  buy.  As  soon 
as  I  opened  my  eyes  two  kinds  of  the  medicine-man's 
rasping  outfits,  women's  games,  a  splendid  bull-roarer 
(see  page  95),  and  other  tempting  things  were  presented 
for  my  approval. 

The  attitude  of  the  natives  was  an  unlooked-for  de- 
light. With  the  exception  of  the  men  who  were  unavoid- 
ably absent,  the  remainder  of  the  four  or  five  families 
that  made  up  the  rancheria  seated  themselves  around 
me,  showing  much  interest  in  my  presence  and  eager  to 
sell  what  they  had  brought.  I  distributed  candy  to 
every  one,  and  much  enthusiasm  was  evinced,  the  utmost 
good-will  prevailing.  Two  elderly  sisters,  talkative  and 
impulsive,  were  very  intelligent  in  giving  explanations  of 
the  articles  offered  for  sale.  One  of  them  sat  down  on 
the  ground  and  showed  me  how  the  medicine-man's  rasp- 
ing-sticks were  used,  at  the  same  time  rendering  the  ap- 
propriate song.  The  other  one,  seizing  a  pair  of  wooden 
tweezers,  which  are  used  in  pulling  off  certain  edible 
cactus  fruit,  proceeded  in  a  most  graphic  manner  to  de- 
monstrate how  the  spines  are  rubbed  off  by  the  same 
implement,  whereupon  the  fruit  is  placed  in  a  basket  and 
taken  home  to  be  cooked.  Her  quiet  pantomime,  full  of 
humor,  made  matters  clear  beyond  doubt  unto  the  small- 
est detail,  without  her  uttering  a  single  word.    She  would 


DOUBLE  BALL  GAME  WITH  STICK  89 


have  done  credit  to  any  stage.  It  was  a  busy  morn- 
ing, and  when  the  crowd  saw  us  getting  ready  to  eat  our 
belated  breakfast,  they  considerately  said,  "'Let  us  retire 
that  they  may  eat."  Pablo  and  I  seated  ourselves  near 
the  fire,  and  it  was  a  small  matter  that  the  rice  had  been 
burned  during  the  activities  of  the  morning. 

After  a  while,  we  had  them  all  back  again.  The 
implements  used  in  a  woman's  game  were  offered  for 
sale.  They  comprised  a  small  object,  consisting  of  two 
short,  thick  sticks  from  the  cat-claw  tree,  linked  together 
in  the  middle  by  a  twisted  leather  string.  This  ola^  as 
they  call  it,  has  to  be  thrown  with  a  thin  pole,  slightly 
curved  at  the  point,  and  the  movement  must  be  made  by 
applying  the  point  between  the  two  connecting  sticks 
and  then  casting  it  upward.  The  game  consists  in 
throwing  the  object  so  as  to  reach  a  certain  goal,  the 
opposing  party  trying  to  prevent  it.  At  my  request,  the 
woman  with  the  imitative  gift  induced  four  young  girls 
to  show  me  how  the  game  was  played,  and  they  immedi- 
ately prepared  for  the  fray.  The  colored  bandannas  were 
disengaged  from  around  the  head  and  tied  around  the 
hips.  The  uncovering  disclosed  beautiful  black  hair, 
well-groomed  a  la  mexicaine^  parted  in  the  middle,  and 
hanging  in  two  generous  braids  down  the  back.  The 
next  minute  they  all  spat  in  their  hands  and  smoothed 
their  hair,  then  the  game  started.  The  girls  played 
two  against  two.  The  61a  was  first  thrown  up  in  the 
air,  the  players  standing  ready  opposite  each  other.  The 
tactics  of  the  opponents  was  to  run  with  their  backs 
turned  against  the  others  and  strike  the  disputed  ob- 


90 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


ject  with  their  poles.  Each  game  was  played  with  much 
agility  and  lasted  only  a  few  minutes,  the  participants 
keenly  enjoying  the  sport.  Formerly  as  many  as  twenty 
women  on  each  side  took  part  in  this  game. 

I  ventured  to  take  snapshots  and,  strange  to  relate,  it 
was  not  resented.  A  boy  showed  me  how  to  swing  a 
bull-roarer,  and  we  all  had  a  good  time.  Though  the 
wearing  apparel  of  these  people  and  most  of  their  uten- 
sils came  from  the  white  man's  store,  still,  neither  Eng- 
lish nor  Spanish  was  spoken,  only  Papago.  They  be- 
haved something  like  natives  who  have  not  been  much 
in  contact  with  whites,  and  these  "poor  heathen"  were 
the  nicest  Papagoes  I  met  on  my  whole  expedition.  The 
entertaining  crowd  would  sometimes  retire  as  one  man, 
then  after  a  while  they  would  return  again;  they  were 
curious  without  being  troublesome.  One  of  the  humor- 
ous sisters  told  me  that  in  the  rancheria  of  Santa  Rosa, 
which  was  my  next  goal,  there  was  much  to  be  seen 
that  would  interest  me,  if  I  made  friends  with  the  prin- 
cipal men.  She  also  had  a  house  there,  she  said,  which 
was  at  our  disposal,  and  she  gave  us  directions  as  to 
how  to  find  it,  for  Santa  Rosa  was  a  big  place. 

It  is,  in  fact,  the  largest  summer  rancheria  in  the 
Papago  tribe,  and  people  from  several  clusters  of  win- 
ter habitations  gather  here  to  the  number  of  about  five 
hundred.  The  houses  are  scattered  over  an  area  of 
nearly  two  miles  square.  Its  native  name  is  Kuatshi 
(Big  Peak).  I  entered  this  old-fashioned  rancheria  with 
much  expectancy  of  gaining  further  knowledge  of  the 
beliefs  and  customs  of  these  people.    Water  from  the 


ARRIVAL  AT  SANTA  ROSA 


91 


recently  fallen  rain  was  standing  in  pools  here  and  there 
in  the  rough  road.  Inside  of  the  rude  mezquite  fences 
a  surprisingly  large  amount  of  weeds  was  flourishing, 
and  beautifully  green.  In  the  midst  of  this  mass  of  verd- 
ure the  Indians  were  busy  ploughing  and  sowing,  the 
weeding  being  done  later.  Here  and  there  a  rain-storm 
might  be  seen  at  a  distance,  in  the  north,  east,  and  south, 
but  the  atmosphere  as  a  whole  was  clear,  and  everything 
looked  beautiful  in  the  late  afternoon  sun. 

After  some  parleying  and  searching  and  travelling, 
we  found  our  Juan,  a  tall,  strong-looking  Indian  with 
a  benign  expression  of  countenance.  Near  this  man's 
house  was  to  be  our  promised  lodgement.  He  pointed 
out  to  us  a  large,  dome-shaped  straw  house,  of  old  style, 
about  a  hundred  yards  away.  Crawling  in  through  the 
door-opening,  which  was  not  quite  two  feet  high,  I  found 
the  inside  very  spacious.  Provisions  were  stored  here, 
and  a  large  granary  basket  gave  me  joy  at  the  prospect 
of  its  possible  acquisition.  The  room  was  clean  and 
cool.  Nevertheless,  being  unusually  dependent  upon  fresh 
air,  I  feared  this  would  be  a  very  inconvenient  abode  for 
me,  so  I  crawled  out  again  and  addressed  myself  to  an 
old  man  who  was  occupied  outside  in  digging  up  and 
destroying  the  passages  of  some  pernicious  red  ants. 
On  our  arrival  I  had  noticed  him  clearing  away  rubbish 
in  front  of  an  attractive  little  house  near  by  made  of 
upright  poles  so  that  the  air  had  access  everywhere.  I 
proposed  that  he  should  rent  me  the  little  dwelling. 

He  readily  consented,  asking  me  to  state  a  price,  and 
I  suggested  fifty  cents  a  day,  which  was  promptly  ac- 


92 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


cepted.  He  immediately  commenced  to  move  his  things 
out  so  as  to  give  space  enough  for  my  cot.  The  tiny 
house  had  a  good  roof  of  greasewood  branches  covered 
with  earth.  A  few  yards  in  front  of  the  door-opening, 
toward  the  west,  was  the  usual  arrangement  of  a  jacal 
that  provided  a  grateful  shade.  The  Indians  had  ar- 
rived here  only  the  day  before,  and  the  old  man  had 
decorated  the  door-posts  with  fresh  greasewood  branches, 
which  gave  the  modest  habitation  a  festive  and  cheerful 
appearance.  I  felt  comfortable  in  my  new  quarters,  and 
prepared  to  stay  here  for  several  weeks. 

Among  the  friends  I  gradually  made  was  one  whose 
civilized  name  was  Simon,  who  became  of  great  service 
in  helping  me  to  get  specimens  and  information  from  the 
Indians.  He  made  a  good  beginning  himself  by  selling 
me  his  clown's  outfit,  more  or  less  complete,  an  unex- 
pected discovery  in  these  days  when  advancing  civiliza- 
tion is  destroying  all  the  sacred  emblems,  customs,  and 
beliefs  of  the  natives.  These  were  implements  used  at 
the  great  harvest  feast,  vikita,  which  is  given  every  four 
years  at  Santa  Rosa.  The  name  is  derived  from  the 
word  viiki,  by  which  is  designated  the  finest  and  small- 
est plumes  of  the  vulture.  Manifold  preparations  are 
made  for  the  event,  which  comes  off  in  the  inner  bone" 
moon,  about  November  or  December,  after  the  harvest- 
ing of  corn,  beans,  pumpkins,  and  melons.  The  par- 
ticipants dress  up  and  practise  their  parts  in  a  large, 
open,  square  enclosure  of  brushwood  fences,  where 
afterward  many  ceremonial  objects  which  were  carried 
about  during  the  festivities  are  left.    I  was  told  that 


My  camp  at  Santa  Rosa 


\ 


THE  CLOWN 


93 


sahuaro  wine  Is  not  used  during  or  after  this  great  fes- 
tival. At  Quitovac,  in  Sonora,  an  annual  harvest  feast, 
called  by  the  same  name,  is  given  in  August;  this  is 
accompanied  by  the  drinking  of  sahuaro  wine. 

As  the  name  indicates,  the  clowns  are  the  funny  men 
of  the  occasion,  and  their  apparel  and  weapons  are  in  ac- 
cordance with  their  functions.  Their  bows  are  crooked 
mezquite  roots  with  strings  attached.  Their  ridiculous- 
looking  arrows,  four  for  each,  are  made  from  sahuaro 
ribs,  with  turkey  feathers  as  the  plumed  part;  like  the 
hunter,  the  clown  has  two  kinds,  but  his  are  out  of  pro- 
portion, three  being  thin  and  one  very  stout.  His  brace- 
let may  be  a  piece  of  unborn  deerskin  wrapped  around 
the  wrist.  The  most  striking  part  of  the  costume  is 
the  mask,  which  is  made  of  canvas,  like  a  hood  that  is 
drawn  over  the  head;  formerly  perhaps  basket  work  took 
the  place,  at  least  in  parts,  of  the  canvas.  Small  holes 
for  the  eyes  have  been  pierced  in  it  and  the  top  is  adorned 
with  a  large  bunch  of  plumes  from  the  turkey,  hawk, 
and  a  black  sea-bird.  ''Horns"  made  of  turkey  plumes 
are  attached  to  the  sides,  soft  down  from  a  hawk  being 
tied  to  the  top.  The  decorations  on  the  facial  part  of 
the  mask  symbolize  clouds.  Under  the  clown's  belt  is 
tucked  a  wooden  machete,  and  large  strings  of  sea-shells 
run  over  the  shoulders  across  the  chest  and  back.  He 
wears  a  huge  tobacco-pouch  and  carries  a  sahuaro  pole 
on  which  small  greasewood  sticks,  tied  at  right  angles, 
do  duty  as  hooks. 

His  bare  arms,  as  well  as  his  arrows,  are  decorated 
each  with  a  spiral  line  made  with  chalk  and  encircling 


94 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


lengthwise,  while  his  legs  are  daubed  in  spots,  the  color 
being  afterward  allowed  to  wear  off.  At  the  feast,  the 
numerous  clowns  perform  pranks  everywhere;  they  visit 
the  houses,  offer  food,  and  shoot  at  men  disguised  as 
deer.  During  the  dancing  they  keep  in  the  middle  of 
the  dancing  place.  They  neither  sing  nor  talk,  though 
they  may  do  so  if  requested.  If  a  clown  breathes  on  a 
sick  man,  the  latter  gets  well.  The  mask  when  not  used 
is  kept  in  the  house  of  the  owner,  usually  in  a  covered 
earthen-ware  jar.  The  dignity  of  the  office,  which  does 
not  imply  the  necessity  of  being  a  medicine-man,  is  con- 
fined to  certain  families,  the  father  deciding  which  of 
his  sons  is  to  be  the  next  clown. 

On  the  wall  in  my  lodging-room  there  was  hanging 
a  different  kind  of  mask,  neatly  made  from  a  gourd,  and 
painted.  It  is  worn  by  a  singer  at  the  same  great  feast. 
I  also  secured  this,  and  during  the  time  spent  at  Santa 
Rosa  valley  I  was  fortunate  enough  to  make  quite  a  col- 
lection of  such  interesting  objects.  There  are  three  sec- 
tions of  colors  on  the  singers'  masks  symbolizing  clouds 
of  similar  hues.  The  upper  part  is  painted  with  red 
ochre;  then  comes  a  black  band  which  is  produced  by 
a  mixture  of  sap  from  the  mezquite  and  oxide  of  iron; 
the  white  band  is  made  with  chalk.  The  zigzags  of  the 
red  section  symbolize  clouds,  the  dots  are  grains  of  corn. 
The  designs  on  the  white  section  denote  clouds  and  light- 
ning. The  singers  {viinim)  have  the  same  kind  of  rat- 
tles as  the  clowns,  consisting  of  a  number  of  the  small 
bags  spun  by  an  insect  (attacus  orizahajy  with  a  pebble 
inside  of  each,  and  attached  to  a  band  around  the  ankle. 


THE  SINGER 


95 


The  band  should  be  cut  from  the  skin  of  a  black 
dog,  which  is  killed  for  the  purpose  in  the  practising 
enclosure. 

The  singer  has  the  upper  body  nude,  his  trousers 
being  turned  up  as  high  as  possible  and  his  feet  bare. 
He  wears  no  head-dress,  but  attempts  to  appear  neatly 
attired,  tying  around  the  loins  a  colored  bandanna  or 
perhaps  a  shawl  borrowed  from  his  wife.  Around  the 
waist,  the  neck,  and  the  upper  part  of  the  arm  bright- 
colored  strips  of  cloth  are  tied.  His  body  is  smeared 
with  red  ochre  on  which  are  spots  of  white,  symbolizing 
grains  of  corn. 

An  important  part  of  the  singer's  outfit  is  the  bull- 
roarer,  consisting  of  two  flat  pieces  made  of  sahuaro 
rib,  the  smaller  one  being  held  by  the  hand  when  in 
use.  The  connecting  string  should  be  twine  of  native 
cotton,  which  still  may  be  found  in  use.  They  are 
decorated  with  symbolic  designs,  such  as  those  stand- 
ing for  lightning,  clouds,  turtles,  grains  of  corn,  express- 
ing their  desire  for  rain.  The  buzzing  sound  produced 
should  be  deep,  in  imitation  of  the  thunder,  which 
brings  rain;  if  the  sound  is  shrill,  lightning  only  will 
follow. 

The  bull-roarer  is  swung  for  the  purpose  of  calling 
people  together  and  as  a  sign  that  the  meeting  is  over, 
both  at  the  preliminary  exercises  in  the  practising  en- 
closure as  well  as  at  the  feast  itself.  These  buzzing  im- 
plements not  only  open  and  conclude  the  proceedings, 
but  they  are  used  on  the  way  from  the  practising  house 
to  the  feast  early  in  the  morning,  also  when  the  cloud 


96 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


symbols  are  carried  about,  and  on  similar  occasions. 
When  not  in  use,  the  implement  is  tucked  under  the  belt 
at  the  back.  After  the  festival  it  is  put  away  not  to  be 
used  until  the  next  feast  takes  place. 

The  singers  are  made  up  of  the  following  four  groups: 

1.  The  people  of  Santa  Rosa  rancheria.  Sikulhimat, 
Aloitak,  and  Kvitatk  join  with  them. 

2.  The  people  of  Kvivo  rancheria.  The  San  Xavier 
inhabitants  join  with  these. 

3.  The  people  of  Anekam  rancheria. 

4.  The  people  of  Aktjin  rancheria. 

These  four  groups  have  different  masks  and  at  the 
head-quarters  of  each  is  a  practising  enclosure. 

This  great  harvest  festival  lasts  from  morning  till  sun- 
set. Ten  days  before  the  principal  men  begin  the  prep- 
arations, fasting  at  the  same  time  and  drinking  water 
but  once  a  day.  Sometimes  as  many  as  fifty  rancherias 
take  part.  Much  noise  is  made  in  the  evening  before 
the  feast  is  begun.  Each  group  of  rancherias  sings  dif- 
ferent songs,  in  its  turn,  and  every  fourth  year  new  songs 
are  produced.  At  the  Quitovac  meeting  the  same  songs 
are  used  year  after  year.  The  singers  also  dance  with 
ceremonial  objects  in  their  hands,  their  songs  being  suited 
to  the  emblem  carried. 

Mr.  Brownell,  store-keeper  and  mine-owner  at  Brown- 
ell,  in  the  Quijotoa  Range,  was  present  at  the  last  festival 
given,  which  was  in  December,  1908.  Though  unable 
to  give  me  any  descriptive  detail,  he  assured  me  that  it 
was  an  unusual  performance  in  its  magnitude  and  bar- 
barous display  of  costume,  paint,  and  ceremonials.  A 


I-  D  O  > 
•5. Si  OT3 

. 


a       p  a 

^  o  iJ  to 


,  o  a 

1  o 


2^  6 


O  C  l> 

a!     S  ?J  a 

^.S  > 
vi'S  o.S'3 

.-:s  so'?  g* 

w    -  "O 

'^'2  g  £i  ^ 
ATS  E^S 

rC  oj  3  t£  O 


Eg 


N  rn 

o  o 


y  2  >.-s 


THE  PRACTISING  ENCLOSURE 


few  other  Americans  had  been  present,  but  nobody  was 
allowed  to  make  any  notes.  Permission  to  take  photo- 
graphs would  not  be  considered  without  a  payment  of 
six  hundred  dollars.  It  is  doubtful  whether  a  similar 
festival  will  ever  take  place  again,  for  there  are  only 
one,  or  possibly  two,  old  men  left  who  know  how  to 
direct  the  complicated  ceremonies.  Formerly,  the  com- 
plaint was  made  to  me,  the  young  men  used  to  be  taught 
by  the  two  old  men,  but  at  present  nobody  goes  to  them. 
If  another  festival  does  take  place,  it  would  be  highly 
desirable  for  an  ethnologist  to  be  present.  I  visited  the 
practising  enclosure,  which  is  from  forty  to  fifty  feet 
square.  A  great  accumulation  of  ceremonial  things  was 
left  here  from  preceding  feasts,  conspicuous  among  which 
were  some  large,  triangular  frames  to  which  wads  of 
cotton  were  attached,  symbolizing  clouds.  Bright  blue, 
wooden  swallows,  fastened  to  the  tops  of  sticks,  also  at- 
tracted my  attention.  They  are  carried  by  certain  per- 
formers. The  enclosure  is  called  a  vaaki,  as  is  also  the 
medicine  lodge  and  the  house  of  the  leader  of  the  salt 
expeditions. 

I  was  successful  enough  to  procure  two  more  clown 
masks,  the  owners  of  both  being  medicine-men.  One  of 
them,  who  was  too  old  to  be  a  clown  any  longer,  should 
have  handed  it  over  to  his  son  or  nephew,  but  he  pre- 
ferred American  dollars.  I  was  further  completing  my 
collection  with  sets  of  the  various  articles  that  comprise 
the  outfit,  when  my  nefarious  activities  reached  the  ears 
of  the  principal  men,  who  at  once  put  a  stop  to  any  more 
purchases.    ''What  are  we  coming  to,"  cried  the  chief, 


98  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 

selling  these  things?  Are  we  not  going  to  have  any 
more  feasts?"  There  was  some  talk  of  having  me  re- 
turn what  I  had  bought,  but  the  storm  of  indignation 
gradually  subsided. 


CHAPTER  VII 


VISIT  TO  A  VERY  SACRED  PLACE— THE  CHILDREN'S  SACRIFICE 
—A  MEETING  WITH  AN  IMPORTANT  PERSONAGE— ANEKAM— 
PRIMITIVE  NATIVES— I  ARRIVE  AMONG  THE  KOHATK  PEOPLE 
—A  WET  NIGHT— RETURN  TO  SANTA  ROSA 

All  the  while  I  had  not  forgotten  what  my  talkative 
woman  friend  at  the  last  stopping  place  had  told  me. 
*'Get  an  old  man  to  show  you  the  children's  cemetery/' 
she  said,  ''and  you  will  see  many  things."  As  soon  as  I 
considered  my  acquaintance  with  Simon  to  be  sufficiently 
well  established,  I  asked  him  if  he  would  not  take  me  to 
the  place  where  the  children  had  been  buried.  ''It 
would  be  well  to  get  the  chief's  permission  for  that," 
he  answered  after  some  hesitation.  Accordingly  Pablo 
and  I  mounted  our  horses  and,  accompanied  by  Simon, 
also  on  horseback,  started  off  with  the  prospect  of  an 
interesting  afternoon's  experience  before  us.  The  place 
was  not  far  away,  perhaps  three  miles  off,  but  it  was  al- 
ready five  o'clock  and,  as  we  first  had  to  secure  the  per- 
mission, we  hurried  along. 

Simon  is  very  quick  in  his  movements  and,  there 
being  no  time  to  waste,  we  confidently  followed  in  his 
wake.  We  arrived  at  the  camp  of  one  of  the  principal 
men,  a  leader  of  the  annual  salt  expedition  to  the  gulf, 
with  whom  on  the  previous  day  I  had  had  a  long  inter- 
view.   He  was  one  of  those  old-fashioned,  simple-minded, 

99 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


though  intelUgent,  barbarians  who  give  the  serious  in- 
quirer clear,  absolutely  straightforward  information,  and 
I  had  no  objection  to  hearing  from  his  mouth  some  more 
about  the  ancient  traditions  of  the  Papago.  He  told  us 
of  a  spring  that  once  had  threatened  to  flood  not  only 
the  great  valley  of  the  Santa  Rosa,  but  the  whole  Papago 
country.  Four  children,  two  boys  and  two  girls,  had 
to  be  put  into  the  fountain  in  order  to  stop  the  water 
from  flooding.  The  sacrifice  had  availed  and  ever  after- 
ward this  had  been  a  most  sacred  locality,  of  which  the 
Papagoes  took  great  care.  He  asked  us  what  we  wanted 
to  do  there.  Being  assured  of  our  harmless  intentions, 
and  Simon  being  a  great  friend  of  his,  he  had  no  objec- 
tions to  our  proposed  visit,  and  I  paid  him  two  dollars 
for  the  permission. 

Our  next  call  would  be,  I  expected,  on  the  chief. 
Simon,  on  his  quick-gaited  steed,  rode  ahead  of  us,  and 
soon  disappeared  from  view  in  the  winding  arroyo,  which 
we  entered.  This  arroyo  led  among  the  scattered  ranches 
of  Santa  Rosa  up  to  the  base  of  the  mountain  range,  where 
lay  the  object  of  our  trip.  On  an  easy  grade  we  travelled 
quickly  over  the  sand  and  gravel  that  the  rains  of  pre- 
vious years  had  washed  down  from  the  mountains  so 
as  to  fill  the  arroyo  bed.  On  both  sides  grew  thickets  of 
desert  willows,  arrowbushes,  and  a  peculiar  light  green 
bush  with  long,  needle-like  leaves,  from  which  the 
Indians  make  prayer-sticks.  We  followed  this  beautiful 
arroyo  for  a  couple  of  miles,  and  I  was  congratulating 
myself  on  getting  away  unobserved  by  the  multitude. 
Pablo  and  I  spurred  our  horses  along  and  we  gradually 


A  SERIOUS  ALTERCATION 


gained  on  our  swift  guide,  who  suddenly  left  our  safe 
arroyo,  now  narrowing  as  we  approached  the  base  of  the 
mountains.  We  passed  a  couple  of  hundred  yards  above 
the  last  houses  of  the  rancheria  and  were  making  fast  for 
our  goal,  when  a  man  on  a  brown  horse  appeared,  com- 
ing toward  us  at  a  furious  gait,  followed  by  a  white  colt. 
Just  as  we  reached  the  main  road  he  caught  up  with  us. 
Although  he  preserved  a  calm  demeanor,  his  eyes,  when 
he  halted  us,  betrayed  excitement.  It  was  the  old  fa- 
miliar case  of  Indians  knowing  in  a  mysterious  way  well- 
nigh  everything  that  is  going  on,  as  if  they  had  telephones 
and  telegraphs. 

''Where  are  you  bound?"  he  asked.  Simon  looked 
scared  when  answering  the  question. 

''That  place,"  the  new-comer  retorted,  "belongs  to 
many  people,  and  one  man  alone  cannot  give  the  per- 
mission to  visit  it.  I  am  the  chief  of  this  rancheria. 
Why  did  you  not  come  to  me 

Simon  evidently  had  committed  a  serious  breach  of 
etiquette  by  letting  the  matter  rest  with  his  friend,  the 
director  of  the  salt  expeditions.  He  tried  to  explain  his 
action  as  being  due  to  the  absence  of  the  chief  in  the 
fields.  For  a  man  with  so  much  initiative  and  such  un- 
usual frankness,  it  seemed  amazing  that  he  should  have 
made  such  a  blunder.  Judging  from  the  way  he  re- 
peated over  and  over  again  his  one  line  of  defence,  his 
case  was  a  weak  one.  The  chief  evidently  was  right,  and 
finally,  turning  his  horse  toward  the  rancheria  and  start- 
ing back,  he  said  he  did  not  want  us  to  go  to  that  place. 

This  was  more  than  I  could  endure,  so  I,  with  Pablo, 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


rode  after  him,  and  began  negotiations  in  my  own  way. 
He  soon  became  more  tractable.  **The  place  is  sacred," 
he  said,  *'and  not  everybody  who  comes  along  can  see 
it.'"  The  Indians  had  gone  to  much  trouble  to  keep  up 
its  proper  appointments.  He  was  going  to  bring  this 
matter  before  the  Big  House,  the  lodge,  that  very  even- 
ing, and  the  people  would  decide  in  the  case.  The  pros- 
pect of  vague  and  possibly  endless  delay  was  not  exactly 
to  my  taste,  so  I  proposed  another  way  out  of  the  diffi- 
culty, that  of  paying  to  him  and  to  the  other  big  man  of 
the  tribe,  the  Keeper  of  the  Smoke,  the  same  sum  that 
I  had  already  paid  the  first  principal  man. 

Gratified  at  seeing  the  negotiations  happily  concluded, 
I  presented  him  with  tobacco  and  candy,  which  he  smil- 
ingly put  into  his  trousers  pockets.  He  said  we  could  go 
to  the  cemetery  that  afternoon  and  next  morning  return 
to  look  it  over  more  carefully.  To  my  suggestion  that  it 
was  too  late  in  the  day  to  continue  the  trip,  he  answered 
that  the  place  was  close  by.  He  admonished  us  only  to 
be  careful  not  to  disturb  anything,  and  thus  we  separated 
all  in  a  pleasant  mood.  The  cemetery  was  nearer  than 
I  had  expected;  after  having  followed  the  road  for  ten 
minutes,  Simon  told  us  that  we  had  arrived.  The  coun- 
try was  now  level  and  covered  with  greasewood  bushes 
all  around.  We  found  ourselves  at  the  beginning  of  a 
broad  pass,  through  which  the  road  from  Santa  Rosa 
leads  westward  to  a  mountain. 

We  tied  our  horses  and  walked  aside  from  the  road 
some  twenty  yards,  when  my  eyes  caught  sight  of  a  cir- 
cular enclosure  made  from  upright  split  ocotillo  (/ow- 


AN  INTERESTING  SHRINE 


quieria  splendens)  poles,  from  which  the  bark  had  been 
recently  stripped.  To  the  north  and  to  the  south  was 
piled  up  at  either  side  in  a  semicircle  a  very  large  heap 
of  discarded  poles,  in  orderly  array,  several  thousands  of 
them.  I  had  expected  to  find  a  shrine  of  a  more  or  less 
common  type,  so  this  was  an  agreeable  surprise  and 
worth  some  trouble. 

I  stepped  up  to  the  sanctuary,  which  was  about  the 
height  of  a  man  and  nineteen  feet  in  diameter,  with  open 
gateways  toward  the  four  corners  of  the  world.  The 
row  of  ocotillo  poles  was  placed  two  or  three  thick.  In- 
side, in  the  middle,  was  a  mound  neatly  made  of  slabs, 
six  feet  in  diameter  and  two  feet  high;  on  top  of  it  rested 
a  large  sea  shell,  seven  inches  long,  of  a  light  rose  color, 
with  its  opening  toward  the  east.  Two  thin  upright 
sticks  of  ocotillo  had  been  placed  at  each  cardinal  point 
of  the  mound.  The  shrine  stands  on  ground  that  is  a 
few  feet  higher  than  the  surrounding  plain.  This  slight 
elevation,  which  provides  ample  space  for  the  enclosure, 
is  evidently  natural,  though  its  central  part  is  slightly 
concave.  This  may  have  been  due  to  the  action  of  a 
spring.  It  looks  as  if  the  earth  in  some  way  had  been 
removed,  forming  a  slight  basin.  From  this  depression, 
toward  the  east  and  the  west,  are  outlets  as  if  water  had 
been  running.  The  western  outlet  is  quite  short,  but 
the  eastern  is  over  one  hundred  feet  long,  and  widens  out 
so  as  to  present  broad,  level  ground.  Here  it  is  where 
the  water  finally  stopped,  the  Indian  explained,  and  here 
may  be  observed  eight  good-sized  single  stones  or  heaps 
of  stones.    Near  each  are  placed  two  upright  ocotillo 


104  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


sticks,  one  toward  the  east  and  one  toward  the  west. 
The  four  eastern  stones  or  stone  heaps  have  only  one 
each,  placed  toward  the  east. 

Everything  about  the  place  was  scrupulously  clean  and 
orderly;  not  a  trace  of  anything  to  be  seen  on  the  sandy 
ground  anywhere.  The  mound  of  slabs  that  kept  the 
water  down  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  and  prevented  the 
country  from  being  flooded,  was  well  arranged.  Though 
mainly  a  prayer  for  rain  to  the  sea,  in  a  way  this  was  a 
monument  to  the  four  children  who  had  been  sacrificed, 
and  though  devoted  to  a  mythical  event,  its  extreme  sim- 
plicity, relieved  against  a  background  of  the  simple  mind 
of  the  natives,  was  impressive,  as  the  sun,  at  the  end  of 
July,  in  close  proximity  to  the  western  hills,  poured  its 
strong,  beautiful  light  over  the  scene. 

Fearing  a  refusal,  I  did  not  ask  Simon's  permission  to 
photograph,  but,  putting  up  my  tripod,  calmly  brought 
my  camera  into  action.  Hardly  had  I  begun  operations 
when  Pablo  shouted:  People  are  coming!  I  see  dust 
rising  in  the  west."  Although  photography  had  not  been 
included  among  the  sacrilegious  acts  mentioned  by  the 
chief,  still  it  required  little  sagacity  to  be  convinced  that, 
with  the  Papago  abhorrence  of  the  noble  art,  to  be 
caught  photographing  such  a  place  would  amount  to  a 
crime.  I  had  made  a  few  exposures  and  now  hurriedly 
put  my  camera  and  tripod  together.  Simon  evidently 
felt  very  uneasy  and,  with  his  feet,  began  to  cover  with 
sand  the  marks  that  the  tripod  had  left,  making  similar 
holes  here  and  there  with  the  sharp  end  of  a  pole,  at  the 
same  time  throwing  sticks  of  wood  about,  to  mislead  his 


East  of  the  shrine  of  the  children's  sacrifice 

Here  the  outflow  of  water  is  supposed  to  have  stopped 


THE  CHILDREN'S  CEMETERY 


105 


canny  countrymen.  Then  we  started  back  at  a  quick 
pace  to  our  camp. 

The  name  of  this  sacred  place  is  Aalhihiani  (ally 
child;  hthiariy  cemetery).  The  enclosure's  name  is  ki, 
house.  It  is  renewed  at  irregular  intervals  and,  accord- 
ing to  my  informant,  sometimes  every  year.  The  pres- 
ent one  had  been  made  during  the  preceding  winter. 
Those  who  make  the  enclosure  have  to  come  on  foot  to  do 
the  work.  After  the  work  is  done  there  is  a  feast  in  the 
lodge,  the  whole  night  being  spent  in  singing  to  the  ac- 
companiment of  rasping  sticks.  The  four  children  come 
down  from  the  cemetery  and  take  part,  but  only  the  med- 
icine-men see  them.  In  the  morning  the  latter  tell  the 
people  what  they  saw  and  what  the  children  told  them 
about  rain  and  crops. 

The  faces  of  the  children  when  about  to  be  sacrificed 
were  painted  yellow  with  transverse  black  stripes,  while 
the  body  was  painted  on  the  front,  yellow,  and  on  the 
back,  black.  A  hole  was  dug  in  which  the  children  were 
made  to  stand  up,  while  the  medicine-men  sang.  The 
flow  of  water  which  was  stopped  came  from  the  sea, 
threatening  to  flood  the  whole  world.  The  Papagoes 
worship  the  sea.  In  the  subdivision  of  the  tribe  called 
Hohola,  tradition  has  it  that  a  man  once  went  down  into 
a  cavity  in  the  ground  and  the  sea  kept  him  there  for 
four  years.  His  relatives,  considering  him  dead,  burned 
his  house  and  ate  his  cattle.  He  turned  up  one  day,  asked 
them  to  make  a  house  for  him  away  from  the  rancheria, 
and,  after  having  taken  eight  baths,  one  every  four  days, 
he  began  to  live  again  as  before. 


io6  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


Next  morning  I  had  an  appointment  with  the  Keeper 
of  the  Smoke.  Some  days  before  he  had  promised  to 
make  for  me  a  shield  of  the  same  kind  as  the  Papagoes 
until  quite  recently  were  in  the  habit  of  making  when 
going  on  the  war-path  against  the  Apaches.  As  this  is 
a  solemn  act,  which  entails  much  fasting  and  praying  on 
the  part  of  the  maker,  and  also  as  it  would  mean,  accord- 
ing to  Indian  notions,  certain  risks  and  observances  on 
my  part,  we  had  agreed  on  a  meeting  at  which  I  should  be 
enlightened  as  to  my  duties  and  dangers  in  the  matter. 

Accompanied  by  Pablo  I  arrived  at  the  medicine 
lodge  at  the  appointed  hour,  which  was  ''a  little  after 
the  sun  is  over  the  horizon."  We  found  the  keeper  sit- 
ting under  the  jacal  in  front  of  the  lodge  and  facing  the 
east.  He  was  a  stern,  almost  fanatical-looking  Indian 
who  conscientiously  observes  all  the  rules  and  regulations 
his  religion  imposes  on  him.  There  was  no  English  or 
Spanish  about  this  man.  "I  do  not  do  things  from  hear- 
say," he  began.  Every  evening  I  make  a  fire  east  of 
the  jacal  (in  the  winter  it  would  be  inside  the  lodge)  and 
tell  the  people  what  I  know  to  be  the  truth.  In  this 
house  I  tell  the  people  what  to  do,  and  this  is  the  place 
where  any  undertaking  should  begin." 

He  spoke  for  nearly  an  hour.  The  shield  he  would 
make  alone,  and  the  proper  precautions  would  be  taken, 
but  he  wanted  to  be  assured  that  I  would  not  trifle  with  it, 
and  that  I  should  help  in  its  making  by  fasting.  People 
have  sold  you  clown's  masks  and  singer's  masks,"  he 
continued;  *'that  is  very  wrong,  and  should  never  have 
been  done.    The  merit  of  the  feast  passes  away  with 


OTHER  SACRED  LOCALITIES 


those  things.  They  ought  to  be  returned,  but  I  am  not 
going  to  ask  you  to  do  that,  because  the  things  have  been 
paid  for,  so  it  would  not  be  right  to  have  the  bargains 
changed.  But  I  want  to  tell  you  one  thing  which  you 
probably  do  not  know.  Those  objects  are  apt  to  make 
you  ill,  and  when  that  happens,  do  not  blame  the  Ind- 
ians!'' 

When  the  time  came  for  me  to  answer,  I  reassured 
him  on  the  several  points  that  caused  him  anxiety.  The 
things  I  had  acquired  were  going  to  be  well  cared  for. 
I  expressed  my  pleasure  at  the  elucidation  his  talk  had 
given  me,  and  told  him  that  I  should  like  much  to  have 
another  meeting  with  him  by  and  by.  He  believed  in 
me,  he  answered,  and  would  meet  me  here  again  later 
on,  but  at  present  he  was  too  busy  making  ready  for  the 
sahuaro  feast  which  was  soon  to  come  off.  He  was  glad 
to  see  me  among  his  people,  he  added. 

Next  day,  availing  myself  of  the  permission  already 
obtained,  we  again  visited  the  cemetery"  as  well  as 
other  sacred  spots  in  the  neighborhood.  I  was  shown 
the  place  where  the  elder  men,  sitting  in  a  circle,  make 
the  small,  bright  blue  prayer-sticks  for  the  great  harvest 
festival.  One  end  is  pointed,  and  to  the  other  is  tied  a 
turkey  feather;  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  of  these  are 
distributed  at  the  feast  in  the  interest  of  health,  and 
some  are  buried  later,  to  keep  the  fields  moist. 

The  shrine  of  the  buried  jar  is  situated  at  the  cross- 
ing of  two  tracks,  one  leading  to  the  ''children's  ceme- 
tery," which  is  west  of  it.  It  is  customary  for  those  who 
visit  the  latter  place  also  to  call  here  and  deposit  some 


io8  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


offering.  The  jar  is  buried  in  the  ground  and  a  small 
mound  made  above  it,  the  central  part  of  which  is  cov- 
ered by  a  flat  stone.  Ocotillo  sticks,  stripped  of  bark, 
are  placed  upright,  two  toward  the  east  and  two  toward 
the  west,  and  empty  cartridges,  bits  of  glass,  small  sea- 
shells,  as  well  as  pebbles,  had  been  deposited  here.  The 
little  shrine  is  just  outside  of  the  rancheria,  toward  the 
end  of  the  slope  that  runs  down  gently  from  the  moun- 
tains near  by.  The  rain-water,  in  times  gone  by,  had 
formed  furrows  and  small  arroyos  everywhere,  making 
the  country  look  wavy.  The  earth  around  the  roots  of 
the  ever-present  greasewood  bushes  resists  the  short- 
lived torrents,  and  they  presented  the  same  appearance 
of  growing  high  above  the  ground  on  top  of  mounds 
which  usually  is  due  to  the  action  of  the  wind.  At  one 
place  where  the  ground  was  level  a  vast  number  of  light 
yellow  flowers  were  growing,  forming  a  carpet-like  cov- 
ering among  the  gi(easewood.  Quantities  of  broken  pot- 
tery were  lying  about  to  the  north-east  of  the  small  shrine 
and  here,  according  to  tradition,  was  the  former  site  of 
the  rancheria. 

In  spite  of  my  satisfactory  meeting  with  the  Keeper 
of  the  Smoke,  he  seemed  to  have  efficiently  blocked  my 
purchase  of  any  more  important  objects,  so  I  decided  to 
make  a  tour  of  the  several  rancherias  to  the  north,  where 
the  sway  of  my  uncompromising  and  despotic  friend 
did  not  reach;  perhaps  on  my  return  conditions  might 
change.  The  next  rancheria  to  the  north  is  Anekam, 
hardly  three  miles  away,  but  it  is  a  community  distinct 
from  the  preceding  one  and  even  more  primitive.  In 


UNSOPHISTICATED  INDIANS 


ordinary  weather  the  inhabitants  of  one  place  can  hear 
the  singing  of  those  at  the  other  on  festive  occasions. 
The  days  were  warm  now,  hardly  any  day  registering 
less  than  loo^  F.  in  the  shade,  often  more.  But  climatic 
conditions  matter  less  than  the  attitude  of  the  people 
one  meets,  and  here  there  was  an  unexpected  charm 
of  simplicity  and  unobtrusive  inquisitiveness  which  re- 
minded me  of  former  happy  occasions  in  my  life  among 
natives.  A  sahuaro  feast  had  been  concluded  the  day 
before.  People  from  the  surrounding  country  were  still 
lingering  and  my  arrival  furnished  an  excuse  for  an  addi- 
tional delay.  Crowds  of  people,  fifty  or  more,  kept 
around  me  wherever  I  went. 

The  Papagoes  in  the  Santa  Rosa  valley  are  less 
spoiled  by  contact  with  civilization  than  in  any  other 
part  of  their  country.  From  my  note-book  at  this  time 
I  take  the  following  remarks:  have  never  yet  met 
with  a  cross  Papago;  they  are  always  amiable.  In  my 
quest  for  specimens  they  smilingly  admit  me  to  their 
store-rooms  to  inspect  their  fine  granary  baskets  and 
other  kinds  of  baskets  and  utensils,  and  allow  me  to 
look  around  inside  and  outside  of  the  houses  as  much 
as  I  like.  On  the  other  hand,  they  have  no  tact;  they 
seat  themselves  unconcernedly  in  a  folding  easy  chair  of 
mine,  or  go  to  the  box  in  which  I  keep  my  collections  and 
take  out  all  the  things  to  look  at.  They  are  always  on 
hand  at  meal-times;  they  dive  with  delight  into  the  box 
of  crackers  set  before  them,  and  are  very  fond  of  coffee." 

They  were  rather  a  crude  type,  but  pleasant  to  deal 
with,  and  were  continually  bringing  things  for  me  to  buy. 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


At  Anekam  most  of  the  middle-aged  women  and  some  of 
the  men  had  their  faces  tattooed.  These  facial  markings 
are  dark  blue  in  color  and  not  elaborate.  Common  to 
both  sexes  is  a  thick  line  under  the  eyes,  passing  the 
outer  angle  of  the  eye  and  continuing  parallel  to  the 
mouth  until  it  nearly  reaches  the  hair.  This  is  almost 
becoming,  reminding  one  of  the  way  actors  darken 
the  eyelids.  Men  have  besides  markings  on  the  fore- 
head, and  women,  on  the  chin,  have  waving  parallel 
lines  descending  from  each  corner  of  the  mouth.  Tattoo- 
ing has  been  discontinued;  the  marks  used  to  be  ap- 
plied with  thorns  from  the  sahuaro,  taken  from  the  top 
of  the  plant,  and  the  charcoal  of  greasewood.  Its  pur- 
pose is  somewhat  doubtful.  For  men  the  reasons  given 
were  to  draw  blood  from  the  eye;  for  women,  to  avoid 
getting  wrinkles  early.  Generally  women  were  the  oper- 
ators. After  having  been  tattooed,  salt  was  not  eaten 
for  a  month. 

A  curious  case  of  a  woman  nursing  her  two  children 
of  different  ages  came  under  my  observation  here.  When 
seated,  she  had  the  younger  lying  on  the  ground  in  its 
primitive  cradle  with  the  large  detachable  shade,  while  the 
larger  one,  a  boy  of  four  or  five  years,  was  playing  about. 
He  would  frequently  run  up  to  his  mother  and  demand 
his  rights  which  were  never  refused.  Standing  up  with 
a  large  straw  hat  on  his  head  he  enjoyed  the  mother's 
milk  usually  reserved  for  children  of  more  tender  years. 
Sometimes  children  who  are  able  to  walk  are  kept  in  the 
cradle. 

The  wellnigh  universal  superstition  relating  to  flint 


I 


A  UNIVERSAL  SUPERSTITION  m 

arrow-heads  is  also  found  among  the  Papagoes,  though 
one  would  think  that  sufficient  time  had  not  elapsed 
since  the  days  when  the  natives  themselves  made  such 
objects.  Their  very  name  is  lightning  stone  {vihom), 
and  one  man  who  presented  me  with  one  assured  me 
that  he  found  it  by  searching  the  ground  after  light- 
ning had  struck  near  his  house.  Sometimes,  when 
lightning  strikes  a  tree,  the  Indians  will  dig  in  the 
ground  underneath  for  arrow-points.  It  should  be  noted 
in  this  connection  that  these  Indians  fear  lightning,  al- 
though they  are  not  afraid  of  thunder.  Bows  and  arrows 
are  still  used  in  Anekam  in  hunting  rabbits,  quail,  doves, 
etc. 

Our  next  stop  was  made  at  Kukomalik,  fourteen  miles 
further  north,  a  new  rancheria  which  owes  its  existence 
to  a  fine  well  left  by  Americans  who  had  to  aban- 
don an  attempt  at  cattle-raising.  At  only  nine  miles' 
distance  from  there,  in  the  north-west,  is  Kohatk;  this  is 
the  first  Pima  rancheria,  and  the  principal  one  of  four 
rancherias  or  villages  which  are  found  in  a  small  extent 
of  country  hardly  thirty  miles  long,  beginning  immediately 
south  of  the  Casa  Grande  station  on  the  Southern  Pacific 
Railroad.  It  may  be  termed  the  Kohatk  country,  being 
inhabited  by  the  Kohatk  people,  who  are  Pimas  that 
have,  to  some  extent,  retained  their  originality.  They 
have,  at  least,  been  less  affected  by  the  white  man  than 
their  confreres  at  the  Sacaton  Reservation,  and  may 
possibly  for  a  few  years  offer  a  fair  field  to  the  student. 
The  country  traversed  after  leaving  Anekam  was  singu- 
larly devoid  of  animal  life.    Not  even  a  jack-rabbit 


112  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


seemed  able  to  live  here.  The  prevalent  vegetation  was, 
as  usual,  greasewood  with  salt  bushes  now  and  then. 
Low  sand  dunes  were  visible  here  and  there. 

The  Pimas  of  Kohatk  I  found  to  be  good-tempered, 
affable  people.  The  women  cut  their  hair  in  front  so  as 
to  have  bangs  and  they  are  good-looking.  These  natives 
seem  to  be  somewhat  under  Roman  Catholic  influence 
and  have  abandoned  their  native  feasts.  Photographing 
was  as  much  detested  here  as  elsewhere.  The  sight  of 
my  camera  would  make  the  children  take  to  the  woods 
and  the  old  men  hurriedly  disappear  on  hands  and 
knees  into  their  dome-shaped  huts. 

I  heard  neither  English  nor  Spanish  spoken,  but  the 
inhabitants  have  adopted  the  frontier  man's  way  of  living, 
frying  their  meat  in  lard  and  adding  quantities  of  it  to 
their  beans.  They  buy  white  flour  and  make  unwhole- 
some tortillas  in  boiling  lard.  This  heavy,  poorly  cooked 
food  forms  their  daily  regime,  without  any  variety.  A 
small  bucketful  of  coffee  is  distributed  at  meal-time  both 
in  the  middle  of  the  day  and  in  the  evening.  They  pos- 
sess cattle  but,  like  most  white  ranchers,  are  too  lazy  to 
milk  the  cows.  The  meals  are  appropriately  served  on 
plates  of  cheap  crockery  and  cups  bought  in  the  white 
man's  stores.  The  participants  give  audible  evidence  of 
consuming  more  lard  than  is  good  for  them,  and,  were  the 
facts  known,  *'to  be  as  dyspeptic  as  a  civilized  Indian" 
would  be  an  adage.  Think  of  the  anomaly  of  leaving 
wholesome,  natural,  well-cooked  dishes  for  a  diet  of  lard 
and  the  cheapest  kinds  of  canned  goods. 

Contrary  to  the  universally  accepted  opinion,  the  cui- 


ATTRACTIONS  OF  THE  SIMPLE  LIFE  113 


sine  of  barbarous  Indians  is  excellent.  To  be  sure,  they 
have  few  dishes,  but  there  is  variety  enough,  and  an  im- 
portant fact  is  that  the  food  is  never  killed,"  /.  over- 
cooked, as  is  the  all  too  common  habit  of  the  poor  white 
man;  the  food  retains  a  natural,  pronounced  flavor  of  its 
own,  unknown  to  most  whites,  besides  having  all  the 
life-giving  elements.  After  all,  nothing  tastes  as  well  as 
the  simple  things,  well  cooked.  What  is  better  than  the 
whole  wheat  cakes  of  the  Papago  Indians  of  Sonora  ? 
They  are  nature's  genuine  gift  to  hungry  men,  furnish- 
ing at  the  same  time  extreme  satisfaction  to  one's  sense 
of  taste.  I  know  of  an  American  who  came  across  this 
dish  fit  for  kings  in  a  corner  of  Sonora,  to  whom  it  was 
such  a  revelation  that  he  ordered  two  sacks  of  the  flour 
to  be  sent  to  his  distant  home.  The  primitive  Indian 
way  of  cooking  beans  in  clay  vessels  without  lard  is  un- 
surpassed for  preserving  the  inherent  flavor  of  the  bean. 
No  one  can  cook  squash  as  my  modest  Indian  hostess  or 
make  an  atole  bianco  (thin  gruel  of  maize)  like  hers;  even 
the  Mexican  women  cannot  compete  with  her  in  this. 
The  green  corn  that  is  offered  in  early  autumn  in  fash- 
ionable restaurants  in  New  York  as  a  native  delicacy 
ought  to  bring  a  blush  of  shame  to  the  chef's  cheeks, 
watery  and  devoid  of  flavor  as  it  is. 

Apart  from  the  stultifying  process  of  jumping  liter- 
ally, as  the  saying  goes,  from  the  frying-pan  into  the 
fire  in  their  effort  to  imitate  the  white  man,  there  is  a 
very  sad  feature  connected  with  the  abandonment  of 
native  dishes.  Indigestion  and  a  one-sided  diet  under- 
mine the  strong  constitution  of  the  Indian,  enfeeble  his 


114 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


blood,  and  leave  him  with  httle  power  of  resistance  to 
his  great  scourge,  tuberculosis.  According  to  my  inter- 
preter, who  is  an  observant  man,  it  is  no  uncommon 
occurrence  among  the  Papagoes  who  have  adopted  the 
white's  man's  cooking,  even  to  die  from  indigestion. 
Next  to  brandy,  lard  is  the  greatest  curse  civilized  man 
has  brought  to  the  Indian. 

After  a  warm  and  cloudy  night  we  had  the  somewhat 
rare  experience  of  four  hours  of  rain  in  the  forenoon. 
Still,  in  the  afternoon,  as  the  rain  had  not  been  so  very 
heavy,  we  decided  to  return  to  Kukomalik,  thinking  we 
might  get  there  in  an  hour  and  a  half  by  driving  a  little 
fast.  We  made  our  way  very  well  up  to  about  a  mile 
within  our  destination,  when  our  horses  began  to  en- 
counter difficulties.  The  land  here  was  slightly  de- 
pressed and  therefore  retained  the  newly  fallen  rain  as  a 
reservoir  on  its  alluvial  soil.  The  ground  became  very 
soft,  and  finally,  in  spite  of  heroic  efforts,  our  horses 
could  pull  no  more.  The  night  had  overtaken  us  with 
darkness,  deep  as  in  Egypt  of  old.  Pablo  went  to  look 
for  a  team  to  pull  us  out,  while  I  remained  behind  try- 
ing to  light  a  candle  which  the  insects  aggressively  put 
out.  At  ten  o'clock  the  moon  rose  and  made  the  out- 
look a  little  bit  more  cheerful. 

A  fresh  team  of  Indian  horses  after  a  while  came 
splashing  through  the  water,  but  they  proved  inadequate 
for  the  task,  and  we  had  to  camp  where  we  were.  The 
mud  was  of  the  kind  of  which  adobe  is  made  and  stuck 
to  our  shoes  like  clay,  but  there  was  no  necessity  for 
walking  around  much.    There  were  a  few  mezquite 


MOSQUITOES  EFFICIENTLY  BALKED  115 


sticks  lying  about,  and  lots  of  resinous  toviso  bushes 
were  growing  near,  so  we  could  make  a  fire  and  had 
excellent  beef  soup.  Pablo  arranged  a  comfortable  bed 
for  himself  by  pulling  up  a  number  of  the  same  generous 
bushes.  I  also  helped  my  dog  to  secure  comfort  for  the 
night,  his  usual  tactics  being  to  lie  down  on  top  of  a 
bush,  thus  pressing  the  branches  to  the  ground  by  his 
weight.  As  for  myself,  I  again  enjoyed  the  usefulness 
of  my  folding  cot  which,  on  account  of  its  height,  prevents 
any  discomfort  from  boggy  or  slightly  uneven  ground. 
There  were  some  mosquitoes  about,  but  I  slept  well 
after  smearing  my  face  and  hands  with  an  effectual 
protection  of  French-Canadian  origin  which  I  can 
confidently  recommend.  It  consists  of  seventeen  parts 
olive  oil,  one  part  carbolic  acid,  and  two  parts  oil  of 
pennyroyal.  The  humidity  of  the  air,  however,  was 
surprising,  for  my  blankets  were  found  in  the  morning 
to  be  thoroughly  wet,  as  if  they  had  been  exposed  to 
rain. 

Shortly  after  sunrise  our  Papago  returned  with  his 
two  horses  and  a  shovel.  The  four  horses  stamped 
timidly  in  the  mud  and  could  not  at  first  be  brought  to 
pull  together.  Through  continued  and  frantic  efforts  on 
the  part  of  us  all,  the  wagon  moved  forward  again.  After 
having  spent  a  few  hours  at  the  rancheria  drying  our 
things  in  the  warm  sun,  we  returned  to  Anekam  where 
people  were  glad  to  see  us  again,  and  the  next  day  found 
us  once  more  at  Santa  Rosa  in  the  evening. 


CHAPTER  VIII 


SCORPIONS— A  STORM  IN  THE  DESERT— HOW  THE  SAHUARO  WINE 
IS  MADE— THE  SAHUARO  FEAST  AT  SANTA  ROSA— A  GREAT  REN- 
DEZVOUS—SOCIAL AMUSEMENTS  OF  THE  PAPAGO— SUCCESS  AT 
COLLECTING  SPECIMENS— STUCK  IN  THE  MUD— WONDERFUL 
CHANGE  IN  THE  LANDSCAPE— A  VALUABLE  VEGETABLE— PART- 
ING WITH  PABLO 

My  little  house  in  Santa  Rosa  I  found  occupied  by 
guests  v^ho  had  arrived  to  take  part  in  the  much-her- 
alded sahuaro  feast  that  was  soon  to  be  celebrated.  I, 
therefore,  drove  the  wagon  up  to  some  erect  poles,  the 
remnants  of  a  shed,  and  put  up  my  fly  between  these 
and  the  wagon.  During  the  night  I  awoke  from  what 
first  seemed  a  disagreeable  dream,  but  which  proved  to 
be  an  intense  pain  in  the  little  toe.  I  applied  some  ex- 
tract of  rattlesnake  beans,  which  a  friend  of  mine  had 
induced  me  to  take  along  as  a  ready  remedy  against  the 
bites  of  poisonous  snakes  and  other  troublesome  creat- 
ures. The  pain  seemed  to  come  from  the  nail,  as  if  it 
were  being  forcibly  bent  backward,  but  after  a  couple  of 
hours  it  subsided  sufficiently  for  me  to  fall  asleep  again. 
In  the  morning  the  foot  was  swollen  and  I  could  not 
wear  my  shoe,  but  after  twelve  hours  I  was  all  right 
again.  Perhaps  the  mischief  was  due  to  a  small  scor- 
pion, though  the  Japanese  doctor  in  Caborca,  to  whom 
I  related  the  occurrence,  seemed  to  think  that  it  was  a 
case  of  a  very  poisonous  ant  of  Arizona  noted  for  the 
extreme  pain  caused  by  its  bite. 

ii6 


OBNOXIOUS  CREATURES  117 

There  is  a  large  scorpion  {hadrurus  hirsutus)  found 
in  these  parts,  four  and  one-quarter  inches  long,  which, 
however,  is  not  as  poisonous  as  the  smaller  species. 
Late  one  evening,  while  searching  for  something  with 
my  lantern,  I  came  across  one  running  along  the  ground, 
and  which  appeared  at  first  sight  to  be  a  mouse.  It  was 
killed  and  left  in  an  open  vessel  to  be  put  in  alcohol  the 
next  day.  In  the  morning  I  found  that  the  ever-present 
and  hungry  hens  of  the  Indians  had  already  taken  care 
of  it.  With  the  exception  of  scorpions,  there  are  not 
many  obnoxious  creatures  in  the  region.  Rattlesnakes, 
of  course,  there  are,  but  they  should  not  be  classed  in 
the  same  category  with  the  rest,  because  they  always 
give  warning  of  their  presence,  besides  being  perhaps  the 
only  snakes  known  to  be  good-tempered.  According  to 
the  Indians,  few  horses  and  cattle  are  bitten;  they  know 
the  rattlesnakes  and  turn  away  when  they  hear  the 
sound;  dogs  also  know  them.  Children  in  the  West 
have  been  known  to  lift  them  up  unharmed,  and  the 
extraordinary  performance  of  the  Hopi  Indians  carrying 
them  alive  in  their  mouths  may  be  called  to  mind.  I 
never  like  to  kill  a  rattler. 

On  Sunday  morning,  August  8,  dark,  nimbus  clouds 
were  gathering  in  ''threatening"  fashion,  as  the  inhabi- 
tants of  countries  with  normal  rainfall  would  say,  but 
here  where  the  very  existence  of  the  people  is  dependent 
on  a  few  showers  in  July  and  August,  they  awakened 
joyful  expectations.  The  prospect  of  rain  was  at  that 
time  uppermost  in  everybody's  thoughts,  day  in  and  day 
out.    It  means  success  in  raising  crops,  the  filling  by  the 


ii8 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


rain  of  dams  and  rock  cavities,  which  will  ensure  drink- 
ing water  for  man  and  beast  until  the  next  summer  and 
the  growing  of  grass  to  keep  cattle  and  horses  alive. 
People  of  the  desert  learn,  however,  to  be  very  patient 
about  the  arrival  of  the  blessed  water  of  the  clouds  and 
conservative  in  their  estimate  of  rain  prospects.  Usu- 
ally the  clouds  pass  away  to  reappear  again  the  next  day 
and  many  more  days,  resulting  often  in  mere  gusts  of 
wind.  Since  early  morning  we  had  heard  thunder  in 
the  south-east,  and  later  also  from  the  north-west  and 
west.  Lead-colored,  heavy  clouds  were  gathering  every- 
where. Still,  when  the  storm  came,  it  took  us  somewhat 
by  surprise.  Even  the  Indian  visitors  had  their  bed- 
ding left  on  the  ground  when  the  dust  storm,  the  ad- 
vance guard  of  the  rain,  fell  upon  us,  travelling  forty 
to  fifty  miles  an  hour. 

Pablo  and  I  hurriedly  rolled  up  my  bedding,  putting 
that  and  a  few  important  things  that  I  could  seize  in 
the  short  time  allotted  inside  of  the  ancient  house  with 
the  small  entrance.  The  rest,  among  them  a  camera 
and  a  box  containing  films,  I  covered  as  well  as  I  could 
inside  of  the  wagon.  Pablo,  as  usual,  did  not  have  his 
ropes  ready  to  fasten  the  wagon  cover  securely,  and  it 
threatened  to  blow  away.  In  shorter  time  than  it  takes 
to  tell  it,  the  rain  was  upon  us.  He  threw  his  quilt  into 
the  opening  of  the  cover  to  protect  the  baggage  and  collec- 
tions; then  he  hurriedly  made  his  escape  into  the  hut  where 
I  had  just  sought  refuge  from  the  fierce  outburst  of  rain 
and  wind. 

The  storm  abated  somewhat  ere  long,  but  was  im- 


AFTER  THE  RAIN 


119 


mediately  succeeded  by  others,  and  when  finally,  after 
two  hours,  the  weather  calmed,  the  arroyo  at  the  back 
of  the  houses  was  roaring  as  if  in  joy  at  being  born  a 
river  again.  Before  the  rain  was  over  the  children  were 
playing  in  the  newly  made  ponds.  Soon  the  grown-ups 
appeared  on  the  scene,  all  much  animated.  While  Pablo 
and  I  started  to  dry  and  clean  our  things,  they  enthusi- 
astically resumed  their  interrupted  preparations  for  mak- 
ing the  wine,  which  was  to  play  such  an  important  part 
in  the  approaching  sahuaro  feast.  Juan  had  already 
evacuated  his  hut  the  day  before  in  order  to  devote  it 
to  wine  making.  Early  in  the  morning  men  had  brought 
large  earthen  jars  belonging  to  his  and  the  neighboring 
houses,  and  the  jars  were  now  resting  safely  in  cavities 
that  had  been  dug  in  the  earthen  floor  of  the  hut,  twigs 
of  fresh  greasewood  as  usual  forming  their  immediate 
support. 

As  soon  as  the  rains  ceased  a  procession  of  women 
started  off  to  fetch  the  necessary  water  for  the  wine 
making.  The  cheery  women,  each  superbly  supporting 
a  shining  olla  on  her  head,  looked  picturesque  as  they 
walked  one  after  the  other  through  the  greasewood 
bushes  in  the  beautiful  light  after  the  storm.  Two  trips 
had  to  be  made  and  the  full  jars  were  all  deposited  out- 
side of  the  house,  to  be  used  as  soon  as  the  clay  vessels 
containing  the  sahuaro  sirup  were  opened;  of  these 
there  were  a  dozen  medium-sized  on  hand,  all  neatly 
sealed. 

About  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  solemn  work 
of  mixing  the  sirup  with  water  began.    Two  young 


I20 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


men  seated  on  the  ground  under  the  jacal  in  front  of 
Juan's  hut  and  facing  the  east  began  these  operations. 
The  sweet  stuff  was  first  poured  into  a  large  and  deep 
water-tight  basket,  with  symboHc  designs  in  the  weaving, 
one  placed  before  each  young  man.  Water  was  poured 
into  this,  in  the  proportion  of  two-thirds  to  a  third  part; 
sometimes  half  and  half  is  used.  The  operators,  who 
had  their  shirt  sleeves  turned  up  to  the  elbow,  mixed 
according  to  rules  and  regulations.  Slowly  stretching 
their  hands,  palm  down  and  forward,  over  the  fluid, 
they  would  immerse  them  and  draw  them  along  the 
bottom  toward  themselves,  then  rubbing  the  hands  twice 
against  each  other  over  the  fluid.  This  was  repeated 
several  times.  As  a  change  they  sometimes  dipped 
them  into  the  liquid,  lifted  up  what  the  two  hollows  of 
the  hands  would  hold,  and  rubbed  it  into  foam,  con- 
tinuing rubbing  until  the  foam  disappeared.  An  elderly 
man  then  tasted  the  mixture,  carried  the  basket  into  the 
house,  and  emptied  it  into  one  of  the  big  jars.  This 
procedure  of  mixing  lasted  nearly  four  hours.  In  the 
same  way  the  brewing  of  the  much  esteemed  wine  was 
commenced  that  day  not  only  in  the  Big  House,  but 
in  many  of  the  private  dwellings  of  the  great  rancheria. 
Usually  several  families  unite  forces  at  one  house  and, 
when  the  official  feast  of  two  days  is  over  at  the  lodge, 
people  gather  at  the  houses  to  drink  and  get  drunk. 

Shortly  after  sunset  that  day,  the  loud  voice  of  the 
herald  who  caHs  the  meeting  to  order,  sounded  from 
the  lodge.  His  exhortations  lasted  several  minutes,  and 
although  I  at  a  distance  could  not  distinguish  the  words, 


The  dam  at  Santa  Rosa.   Made  by  the  Papagoes 


DANCING  AND  SINGING 


I  have  no  doubt  that  his  voice,  which  rang  clear 
in  the  quiet  night,  carried  over  the  entire  rancheria. 
What  he  was  saying  was,  of  course,  known  to  every- 
body; hearing  the  call  was  enough  to  summon  them  for 
the  important  event.  People  were  slow  in  assembling 
and  the  dancing  began  late.  The  long  string  of  eagle 
plumes  over  the  dancing  place,  that  had  been  a  promi- 
nent feature  in  the  arrangement  at  the  former  sahuaro 
feast  in  which  I  took  part,  was  missing  here.  During 
an  accidental  fire  in  the  house  of  the  keeper  with  the 
ominous  name,  the  sacred  emblem  had  literally  gone  up 
in  smoke.  A  band  of  medicine-men,  some  of  them  called 
from  a  considerable  distance,  were  making  up  for  the 
defect.  There  were  four  of  them  inside  the  circle,  walk- 
ing around  in  a  row,  moving  their  plumes  and  invoking 
the  rain.  At  times  they  would  dance  about  like  children 
ges  iculating  wildly  with  their  plumes.  Two  of  them 
wore  cast-ofT  garments  of  whites,  and  one  in  a  long, 
smart-looking  mackintosh,  looked  especially  ludicrous, 
cutting  extraordinary  capers  to  induce  the  rain  to  come. 

The  dancing  and  singing  were  on  a  much  larger  scale 
than  at  the  feast  I  had  previously  attended,  as  befitted 
such  an  important  locality  as  the  Santa  Rosa.  The 
leading  singers,  as  well  as  a  few  of  the  others  in  the 
circle  of  about  a  hundred  dancing  and  singing  men 
and  women,  had  astonishingly  powerful  voices.  There 
was  an  atmosphere  of  order  and  sincerity  and  devotion 
among  the  participants.  Very  noticeable  was  a  woman 
leader,  who  walked  next  to  the  man  who,  swinging  his 
rattle  and  singing,  leads  the  whole  procession.    She  had 


122  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


an  extraordinary  soprano  that  would  have  done  credit 
anywhere,  untutored  to  be  sure,  but  rich,  sonorous,  and 
of  great  force.  She  was  the  wife  of  the  Keeper  of  the 
Smoke,  and  had  a  married  granddaughter! 

For  about  an  hour  I  danced  and  sang,  making  my 
way  in  among  the  leaders.    Their  singing  was  almost 

THE  "FROG  DOCTOR" 

A  PAPAGO  RAIN  SONG   HEARD  AT  THE  SAHUARO  FEASTS 


r-A 

1  1 

1— 1  IN  

PJ  

—d  ^  

Pd  -  pa 

Frog 


ma  -  ka 

doctor 


na 


Frog 


 -0-'  -9^  -o-   -0-  -m- 

ma  -  kai      ka  -  na        im   nk   -   katsh  -  i   nju  -  hu  -  ta 

doctor  continually  sits  sings 


--it- 


Va  -  shan 

yonder 


yo   -    pa   -  ka 

spring  forth 


hu 


va  -  ho 

winds 


k6  -  kvin  -  hong 

end 


Si  -  ni  -  vd  -  os 

(make)  me  wet 


si   -    ta  -  i  -  ma. 

(without  meaning) 


The  frog  is  thought  to  possess  powers  of  a  medicine-man  (makai).  Being 
connected  with  water  he  is,  according  to  Indian  beHef,  able  to  influence  the  com- 
ing of  rain  and  is  therefore  implored  to  assist  in  bringing  moisture  to  the  earth. 


deafening,  and  after  a  while  I  walked  home  to  my  camp, 
enjoying  the  singing  better  at  the  distance  of  a  mile. 
The  next  night,  near  my  bed  time,  it  sounded  especially 
well;  they  were  singing  the  *'Frog  Doctor,"  a  song 
about  rain  and  moisture  that  I  had  learned,  and  which 
has  the  distinction  of  being  in  the  major  key.    I  could 


THE  GODS  HAVE  HAD  THEIR  SHARE  123 


follow  the  words  at  that  distance.  In  their  enthusiasm 
they  seemed  to  be  trying  to  wring  the  rain  from  the  gods, 
and  above  them  all  could  be  heard  that  wonderful  so- 
prano. Every  time  a  new  stanza  came  around,  they 
intoned  as  is  their  custom  the  first  words  with  all  the 
power  of  their  lungs,  giving  the  singing  a  triumphant 
expression. 

During  the  two  nights  of  singing  and  ceremonies, 
the  wine  was  getting  ready  for  consumption  on  the 
third  day,  at  which  time  people  gathered  outside  the 
lodge  to  the  number  of  some  five  hundred,  including 
many  who  had  not  taken  part  in  the  exercises.  Many 
came  to  drink  wine  at  the  houses  of  their  friends  and 
relatives,  and  had  been  invited  from  such  distant  places 
as  Florence  on  the  Gila  River  and  San  Pedro  in  Sonora, 
everybody  first  having  been  present  at  the  distributing  of 
the  wine  at  the  lodge. 

Young  boys  on  horseback  had  been  in  evidence  in 
the  morning,  racing  joyously  with  each  other  and  rais- 
ing dust  wherever  they  went.  Some  of  them  were  pre- 
maturely under  the  influence  of  liquor,  the  result  of  the 
inroads  of  civilization.  It  is  characteristic  of  the  primi- 
tive Indian  to  be  strict  and  formal  in  his  religious  ob- 
servances, but  after  the  festival,  when  the  gods  have  had 
their  share,  he,  too,  wants  a  good  time  and  takes  it.  The 
rising  generation,  breaking  away  from  their  native  cus- 
toms, make  no  such  fine  distinction. 

People  came  on  horseback  or  in  wagons,  some  of 
them  in  light  carriages;  one  well-to-do  Indian  from 
the  northern  part  of  Baboquivari  arrived  in  quite  a 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


smart  turnout  with  two  white  horses  and  had  a  well-fed 
dog  running  alongside.  He  wore  spectacles  and  brought 
his  family  with  him.  It  was  a  curious  assemblage  in 
the  desert.  There  was  as  yet  no  shouting  to  be  heard  or 
any  other  noise  than  that  of  wagons  rolling  and  horses 
galloping  over  the  sandy  ground,  but  the  scene  was  one 
of  bustling  activity  that  reminded  one  of  a  race-track 
meeting. 

The  ceremonies  began  at  noon  and  only  a  minority 
of  those  present  could  sit  down  on  the  dancing  place 
and  take  an  active  part;  most  of  them  had  to  be  spec- 
tators, standing  or  sitting  on  their  horses  around  the 
square  of  human  rows.  Beyond  these,  wagons  had 
been  drawn  up  which  were  filled  with  standing  specta- 
tors. The  chief  passed  me  in  the  throng  and  said  he 
was  glad  to  see  me  at  the  feast.  He  hoped  I  would 
make  the  most  of  it  and  see  everything;  I  thought  he 
might  have  invited  me  to  take  a  seat  among  those  on 
the  ''ground  floor."  However,  any  one  who  liked  was 
free  to  do  so  if  he  were  able  to  squeeze  himself  in.  As 
it  was,  I  preferred  to  be  where  I  stood. 

People  were  in  their  very  best  finery,  and  some  of 
the  women  were  a  sight  to  behold  in  gaudy  colors,  not 
exactly  the  cheapest  stuff,  for  the  present-day  Papago  is 
well-to-do  and  wants  the  best,  although  he  does  not  want 
to  pay  high  prices.  The  most  conspicuous  dresses 
seemed  to  be  made  from  mercerized  silk,  very  thin, 
and  were  fair  copies  of  the  prevailing  fashions  among 
white  women  in  town  or  on  the  ranch.  The  Papago 
woman  is  clever  and  cuts  her  clothes  herself,  sewing 


WHEN  MAN  MAKES  A  FOOL  OF  HIMSELF  125 


them  on  the  machine,  which  she  owns  or  borrows  from 
her  more  fortunate  sisters.  Petticoats  are  considered 
less  necessary.  At  Juan's  ranch,  on  which  was  my 
camp,  the  women  folks  had  been  working  for  two  days 
to  get  their  dresses  ready  for  this  occasion.  Until  mid- 
night the  running  of  the  sewing  machine  could  be  heard 
from  the  little  house  I  had  at  first  occupied. 

The  ceremonies  and  speeches  proceeded  in  the  same 
manner  as  those  I  had  witnessed  before.  The  wine  was 
distributed  only  to  the  fortunate  ones  seated  in  the 
square,  and  there  was  not  much  of  it  either.  After  an 
hour  the  whole  affair  was  over  and  people  dispersed  to 
the  different  houses,  where  the  brew  of  the  season  was 
awaiting  them.  To  be  present  at  the  revelries  which  fol- 
lowed was  not  pleasant.  It  was  a  good-tempered  crowd, 
but  drunken  people  are  nuisances,  whether  in  civiliza- 
tion or  among  barbarians.  However,  if  anything,  there 
is  some  excuse  for  a  barbarian  to  get  drunk,  for  he  thinks 
it  is  the  will  of  the  gods,  and  that  it  helps  to  bring  about 
rain.  Moreover,  his  native  intoxicant,  indulged  in  only 
on  certain  religious  occasions,  does  not  do  him  much 
physical  harm. 

There  were  some  ludicrous  sights  to  behold,  mingled 
with  pathetic.  Two  women  on  the  point  of  starting  for 
home  were  seated  in  a  wagon,  both  visibly  under  the 
influence  of  the  sahuaro  wine.  They  were  conversing 
and  weeping  in  their  effusive  feelings  for  each  other, 
while  a  suckling  infant  at  the  breast  of  one  of  them  was 
adding  to  the  wail  from  a  quite  different  sentiment.  A 
thick-set,  resolute  woman  with  a  nice  face,  an  acquaint- 


126  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


ance  of  mine  from  Anekam,  took  charge  of  her  drunken 
husband,  trying  to  get  a  start  for  home.  The  board  that 
closes  the  hind  part  of  the  wagon  had  been  taken  out, 
as  if  ready  for  loading;  she  invoked  the  help  of  a  sober- 
looking  young  fellow  and,  with  their  combined  efforts, 
the  heavy  bulk  of  her  husband  was  landed  safely  in  the 
wagon.  The  young  man  next,  in  a  most  informal  way, 
helped  the  corpulent  lady  herself  to  climb  up  by  grabbing 
hold  of  one  of  her  legs  and  shoving  her  upwards  with  all 
his  might,  as  if  she  were  a  log. 

It  became  necessary  for  me  to  begin  my  return  journey 
to  Tucson,  and  I  proceeded  first  to  a  rancheria,  which  is 
in  close  proximity  to  Santa  Rosa.  I  had  learned  that 
an  old  man  who  had  given  me  valuable  information  at  San 
Xavier  was  living  here,  and  I  desired  to  see  him  again. 
He  turned  out  to  be  the  most  influential  person  there  and 
was  very  kind.  True,  he  accepted  an  unusual  amount 
of  presents  in  the  shape  of  provisions,  tobacco,  etc.,  but 
his  good-will  was  well  worth  the  price.  The  people  were 
encouraged  by  him  to  sell  me  what  I  wanted  and  there 
was  no  loss  of  time  from  having  to  coax  and  wait  or 
having  to  dispel  suspicions  and  fear.  Everybody  was 
obliging  and  glad  to  sell.  Some  went  to  the  practising 
enclosure  of  the  place  and  rifled  it  of  anything  I  might 
desire  and  they  all  searched  their  houses.  It  was  as  if  I 
had  come  to  a  primitive  tribe  in  Australia.  I  secured 
good  masks  and  a  complete  clown's  outfit,  the  best  so 
far,  including  a  pouch  in  which  tobacco  and  medicine 
plumes  are  carried. 

At  my  request  a  man  was  sent  to  Anekam  to  try  to 


DISAPPOINTMENTS  127 

procure  an  old  shield  used  in  Apache  fights,  which  was 
said  to  be  in  the  possession  of  a  young  man  who  had  in- 
herited it  from  his  father.  When  a  Papago  dies  his  per- 
sonal effects  are  buried  with  him,  with  the  exception  of 
his  weapons  which  are  hung  in  the  houses  of  friends  or 
relatives  until  they  decay.  If  the  deceased  had  played 
some  role  at  the  great  harvest  festival,  his  mask  and  other 
sacred  paraphernalia  are  also  taken  care  of  by  his  sur- 
vivors. I  therefore  had  hopes  that  my  messenger  might 
return  with  this  at  present  priceless  object.  But  alas! 
the  young  man  to  whom  the  shield  had  been  entrusted,  im- 
bued with  the  new  notions  of  his  generation  and  at  the 
same  time  fearing  that  some  harm  might  come  to  him 
from  keeping  an  object  of  so  much  superstitious  awe,  had 
burned  it  a  few  years  ago. 

Evidently  the  rainfall  of  the  night  before  we  started  on 
our  return  had  been  heavier  in  the  region  eastward,  the 
ground  in  many  places  being  unusually  boggy.  Our 
immediate  aim  was  Aktjin,  a  large  rancheria  south-east 
of  Santa  Rosa,  and  we  had  been  instructed  about  the 
roads,  which  are  little  travelled  in  these  parts.  Unfor- 
tunately, Pablo,  who  had  never  been  here  before,  took  the 
wrong  track,  the  boggy  places  grew  more  frequent,  and 
we  could  proceed  but  slowly.  At  one  place,  evidently  part 
of  a  wide  arroyo,  we  travelled  for  fifty  yards  through 
muddy  water,  which  reached  even  to  the  hubs  of  the 
wheels.  The  danger  of  being  stuck  fast  in  the  mud 
seemed  imminent,  but  our  horses  were  plucky  and  they 
finally  pulled  us  through.  We  congratulated  ourselves  on 
our  luck  and  decided  to  take  lunch  then  and  there.  For 


128  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


the  sake  of  comfort,  I  turned  up  my  trousers  to  the  knees 
and  walked  about  in  bare  feet  on  the  wet  and  sticky  soil. 
It  did  not  seem  possible  that  we  were  in  a  desert  region. 
That  part  of  the  country  is  extensive  and  uninhabited; 
the  soil  is  rich  and  it  would  make  a  splendid  agricultural 
district.  Even  if  there  were  not  rains  like  this  every  year, 
one  might  build  dams  and  sink  wells.  Our  horses  had 
splendid  grass  to  eat  and  we  had  a  good  lunch. 

It  now  looked  as  if  we  were  to  have  plain  sailing  and, 
although  we  were  on  the  wrong  track,  we  hoped  in  some 
way  to  reach  before  dark  a  small  rancheria,  ''Yellow 
Caterpillar,"  which  was  near  our  destination.  This  ran- 
cheria owes  its  name  to  the  prevalence  of  an  edible  cater- 
pillar in  the  neighborhood.  We  had  not  travelled  long 
when  we  came  abruptly  upon  the  banks  of  quite  a  deep 
arroyo  that  had  to  be  crossed.  The  mud  was  knee-deep 
and  the  bank  on  the  other  side  unusually  steep ;  however, 
there  was  nothing  else  to  do  but  to  go  ahead.  Full  of 
confidence  in  his  horses,  Pablo  urged  them  on  and  up 
the  steep,  short  bank  which  they  very  nearly  cleared; 
two  inches  more  would  have  sufficed,  but  they  fell  back 
and  the  heavy  wagon  stuck  in  the  mud  up  to  the  axles. 
We  dug  around  the  wheels  and  pushed  and  worked  in 
vain;  the  wagon  was  not  to  be  moved.  Then  we  had 
to  unload  its  manifold  contents:  boxes,  bags,  and  bundles, 
Papago  baskets  of  all  sizes,  pottery,  bows  and  arrows, 
sahuaro  poles,  wooden  ploughs,  and  a  host  of  things  too 
numerous  to  mention  were  carried  to  the  top  of  the  em- 
bankment. It  was  nearly  sunset  when  we  were  again 
able  to  start.    Water  and  grass  were  plentiful  now,  so  we 


UNEXPECTED  AID 


129 


soon  made  camp  among  the  greasewoods.  After  dark, 
coyotes  approached  us  within  twenty  yards,  howUng  as 
if  deriding  us. 

In  the  morning  my  dog,  Mavit,  the  Papago  name  for 
mountain  lion,  killed  a  hzard  and  showed  his  satisfaction 
by  rolhng  over  it  in  joy.  He  also  discovered  a  rattlesnake 
under  a  greasewood  near  our  kitchen,  but  was  wise 
enough  merely  to  bark  at  it.  Pablo  remained  long  look- 
ing for  his  horses  which  had  been  allowed  to  graze  at 
large.  He  had  walked  about  eight  miles  before  recover- 
ing them  and  had  seen  no  trace  of  any  habitation.  *'I 
wish  somebody  would  come  along  to  tell  us  the  road,"  he 
said  as  we  were  having  breakfast.  Almost  at  the  same 
moment,  as  if  by  magic,  a  party  of  three  Papagoes  on 
horseback  appeared  in  the  distance.  We  immediately 
went  after  them  and  brought  two  of  them  back  to  join  our 
breakfast,  one  being  willing  to  guide  us  to  the  Yellow 
Caterpillar."  They  informed  us  that  we  were  now 
camped  on  an  Indian  road  to  Silverbell.  By  following 
slightly  elevated  ground  among  the  greasewoods  we  ar- 
rived safely  at  the  rancheria.  Here  a  light  wagon  was 
hired,  as  dilapidated  a  one  as  I  ever  saw,  to  visit  Aktjin, 
an  extensive  rancheria  in  the  neighborhood. 

Two  young  men  who  were  ploughing  denied  the  pos- 
session of  any  masks.  The  next  house  visited  happened 
to  be  theirs,  and,  on  making  the  same  inquiry  here,  the 
mother-in-law  of  one  of  them  obligingly  brought  forth  for 
our  inspection  a  jar,  the  opening  of  which  had  been  sealed 
in  the  usual  way  by  a  piece  of  pottery  and  mud.  She 
broke  it  open  and  revealed  to  our  admiring  eyes  a  singer's 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


and  a  clown's  masks,  which  were  kept  inside.  They  be- 
longed to  the  two  young  men.  The  singer's  mask  was 
just  the  kind  I  needed  to  complete  my  collection,  and  I 
hurriedly  made  a  sketch  of  its  decorative  designs  before 
returning  it  to  the  owners.  Nothing  would  induce  them 
to  part  with  it,  for  they  said  that  these  things  were  worth 
a  great  deal  to  them. 

Owing  to  several  showers  lately,  the  country  in  the 
middle  of  August  had  changed  its  aspect  and  was  clothed 
in  the  opulent  dress  of  summer,  suggesting  little  of  the 
desert.  Leaves  and  grass  and  flowers  had  appeared  in- 
credibly fast.  In  the  pools  I  took  my  baths,  and  around 
the  mezquite  trees,  where  the  grass  was  growing  thickest, 
the  horses  feasted  on  nature's  bounty.  The  mezquites, 
the  modest  leguminous  trees  of  the  arid  region,  and  the 
greasewoods  looked  beautiful  in  the  glory  of  the  summer. 
The  air  was  permeated  with  the  scent  of  the  blossoms  of 
the  cat-claw,  an  acacia  armed  with  more  terrific  spines 
than  any  other  tree  of  these  regions.  The  ocotillo  was  in 
leaf,  yellowish-red  poppies  grew  in  the  tall  grass,  and  the 
ground  was  covered  in  patches  with  a  kind  of  small  yel- 
low marguerites  which  emitted  a  refreshing  fragrance,  and 
among  which  it  was  a  delight  to  place  my  cot  at  night. 
This  is  a  great  country  for  morning  glories  {ipomoea) ;  there 
are  at  least  ten  species  and,  in  the  thickets  along  the 
arroyos,  intensely  blue  flowers  of  this  kind  had  entwined 
themselves  around  the  bushes  and  seemed  to  cheer  one 
on.  In  three  or  four  weeks  this  would  be  all  changed, 
the  flowers  turned  to  seed  and  the  grass  dry  and  gray. 

In  and  near  the  fields  of  some  of  the  ranches,  where 


THE  MAGIC  OF  THE  RAIN  131 

the  soil  was  rich,  the  quehte,  in  Spanish  bledo  {amaranthus 
Palmeri),  grew  in  great  profusion,  sometimes  presenting 
the  appearance  of  a  large,  dark,  dull-green  mass  of  vege- 
tation. This  plant,  when  young  and  tender,  furnishes 
an  excellent  vegetable  much  relished  by  the  Indians,  but 
as  only  an  insignificant  part  of  the  luxuriant  growth  is 
utilized,  in  his  fields  of  agriculture  it  becomes  the  most 
formidable  weed  he  has  to  contend  with.  When  freshly 
gathered  and  immediately  cooked,  this  vegetable  is  su- 
perior in  taste  to  spinach,  resembling  more  in  flavor 
fresh  asparagus.  In  the  neighborhood  of  Tucson  it  is 
appreciated  by  Indians  and  Mexicans  alike  during  its 
short  season,  though  the  Anglo-Saxon,  in  his  assumed 
superior  knowledge,  has  so  far  ignored  it.  Quelite,  in- 
expensive and  easy  to  cultivate,  should  be  accepted  by  civil- 
ized households.  It  grows  prodigiously  fast  and  several 
crops  may  be  raised  in  a  year. 

On  the  morning  that  we  passed  north  of  the  Babo- 
quivari  Range,  the  fog  climbed  slowly  along  the  sides 
of  the  mountains,  after  a  while  resting  like  snow-white 
clouds  over  the  crests  and  giving  them  a  superb  aspect 
against  the  light  blue  sky  in  the  pure,  clear  atmosphere. 
It  was  as  if  one  had  been  suddenly  transported  to  the 
moist,  temperate  zones  of  the  earth.  The  arroyo  west  of 
Robles  Ranch  ran  full  of  water,  as  a  broad  river  in  flood. 
Some  Indians  whom  we  met  had  been  obliged  to  spend  the 
night  on  the  bank  without  being  able  to  cross  until  the 
morning.  As  we  passed  the  last  branch  of  the  newly 
made  river  which  was  hurrying  along  to  disappear  soon 
in  the  desert,  four  Mexican  cowboys  appeared  on  horse- 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


back  against  the  sky  on  the  embankment.  They  looked 
picturesque  as  they  approached  the  water,  but,  on  per- 
ceiving my  kodak,  they  immediately  stopped  and  posed 
for  me,  as  if  from  a  signal,  for  Mexicans  are  immoderately 
fond  of  being  photographed.  There  was  no  interest  in 
such  a  picture  of  men  posing  to  look  beautiful,  so  I  put 
my  kodak  away  and  we  continued  the  crossing. 

My  last  night  before  reaching  Tucson  was  spent 
mostly  under  the  wagon  on  account  of  a  shower.  In  this 
part  of  the  country,  where  the  storms  of  the  brief  wet 
season,  July  and  August,  come  from  south-east  or  east, 
the  wagon  should  be  placed  for  the  night  north  and 
south  on  account  of  the  protection  its  broadside  affords, 
as  the  storms  are  fierce,  especially  in  July,  although 
local  and  limited  in  duration.  In  spite  of  inconven- 
iences I  had  suffered  from  lack  of  a  tent,  the  trip  had 
been  a  successful  one.  The  charm  of  the  wilds  had 
seized  me  again.  No  mode  of  life  is  equal  to  that  of 
camping  out,  if  one  knows  how,  and  no  life  so  engaging 
as  that  spent  in  the  hope  of  adding  to  human  knowledge. 

In  Tucson  I  parted  with  Pablo  who,  not  speaking 
Spanish,  would  be  less  useful  in  Mexico,  which  I  pre- 
pared next  to  enter.  He  had  been  a  pleasant  and  effi- 
cient companion  and  assistant.  It  is  true  he  was  care- 
less and  could  never  keep  things  in  their  proper  places; 
on  our  trip  he  gradually  lost  most  of  his  own  belongings, 
his  pillow,  his  valise,  and  what  not,  but  he  was  always 
able  to  manage  in  some  way.  He  had  little  or  no  sys- 
tem, for,  as  long  as  our  journey  lasted,  he  never  packed 
and  accommodated  the  baggage  twice  exactly  in  the 


AN  EDUCATED  PAPAGO 


133 


same  way.  Although  he  lost  some  trifling  thing  of 
mine,  he  managed  never  to  break  or  injure  any  of  my 
belongings. 

He  was  not  an  ordinary  man  by  any  means.  He  had, 
he  said,  read  the  Bible  twice;  the  story  of  the  creation  and 
the  prophecies  interested  him  most,  as  well  as  Christ's 
sayings,  which  he  did  not  think  people  lived  up  to.  He 
was  fond  of  historical  reading,  had  a  great  liking  for 
Longfellow's  Courtship  of  Miles  Standish,"  and  ap- 
proved of  the  reports  of  Mr.  Leupp,  the  Indian  commis- 
sioner. He  was  also  fond  of  reading  newspapers  and 
magazines.  His  moral  ideas  were  of  the  highest  order 
without  being  in  the  least  artificial.  Quick  in  action  and 
punctual  in  keeping  an  engagement,  he  combined  respect 
for  truth  with  absolute  honesty.  Kind,  hospitable,  and 
confiding,  he  remained  essentially  Indian,  but  his  liberal 
education  and  his  fondness  for  reading  had  developed 
him  into  an  independent,  thinking  human  being.  In 
view  of  the  distressing,  nay  sickening,  effect  on  native 
races  all  over  the  world  from  contact  with  the  white 
man,  often  due  to  the  missionaries  themselves,  it  is  a 
cheerful  sign  of  the  times  that  they  are  beginning  to 
revise  their  methods  of  conversion. 


CHAPTER  IX 


IN  MAGDALENA,  MEXICO— THE  STATE  OF  SONORA— THE  YAQUI 
INDIANS— AN  ATTACK  OF  DYSENTERY— TRINCHERAS,  THE  RE- 
MARKABLE ANCIENT  FORTIFICATIONS— ANTIQUITIES  OF  THE 
PAPAGUERIA— ALTAR— CABORCA— I  START  WESTWARD— PLACER 
MINES— THE  CHOYA— ITS  TERRIBLE  SPINES— ITS  GREAT  UTIL- 
ITY—CATTLE WHICH  ARE  WITHOUT  WATER  FOR  MONTHS 

Again  I  found  myself  on  the  familiar  ground  of 
Mexico,  passing  the  border  by  Nogales,  Sonora.  Ten 
days  were  first  spent  in  exploring  the  country  east  and 
north  of  Magdalena,  a  mountainous  region  of  volcanic 
origin,  showing  good  copper  indications,  mostly  in  por- 
phyry. Northward  of  Magdalena,  for  fifty  miles  or  more, 
the  country  is  less  mountainous,  plains  intervening  more 
and  more,  and  finally  affording  long  vistas  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Nogales  as  well  as  of  Altar  in  the  West.  The 
vegetation  in  the  beginning  of  September  was  yet  in  its 
richest  unfolding.  Pink  verbenas,  violet  ipomoeas,  and 
some  extremely  pretty  star-shaped,  small  blue  flowers 
growing  in  beds  attracted  attention.  The  grass  was  still 
green  and  on  the  plains  it  grew  in  abundance,  reaching 
up  to  the  horses'  bellies.  On  an  alluvial  flat  we  rode 
through  an  extensive  mass  of  quelite,  which  had  as- 
sumed such  dimensions  that  it  was  difficult  to  believe  it 
the  same  plant  which  a  month  ago  would  have  furnished 
a  delicate  morsel  for  our  dinner.  The  erstwhile  vege- 
table now  consisted  of  thick,  fibrous,  or  wooden  stalks, 

134 


A  LOVELY  VINE 


135 


with  large  appendages  of  branches  and  leaves,  bent  half- 
way to  the  ground,  but  even  thus  reaching  up  to  the 
saddle  and  making  it  difficult  for  us  to  proceed.  It 
seemed  curious  that  there  were  no  cattle  or  horses  graz- 
ing in  this  abundance.  The  scarcity  of  wild  animal  life 
was  also  striking,  though  we  saw  a  deer  once. 

Before  starting  on  my  journey  of  exploration  west- 
ward, I  first  had  to  visit  Hermosillo,  the  capital  of  the 
State  of  Sonora,  in  order  to  secure  the  necessary  letters 
of  recommendation  from  the  government  to  the  authori- 
ties in  Altar.  I  improved  the  opportunity  by  making  a 
tour  of  the  important  old  port  of  Guaymas  and  from 
there  continuing  on  the  newly  made  railroad  to  Culiacan, 
the  capital  of  the  State  of  Sinaloa. 

A  few  miles  before  arriving  at  Guaymas,  the  beauti- 
ful vine  antigonon  leptopus,  of  Mexico  and  Central 
America,  made  its  appearance  here  and  there,  covering 
the  bushes  and  small  trees  with  a  profusion  of  pink 
flowers  or  creeping  along  the  ground,  comparing  favor- 
ably in  scenic  effect  with  the  bougainvillea,  though  dif- 
ferent in  color.  Once  or  twice  I  saw  a  magnificent  blue 
creeper,  entirely  covering  some  low  trees.  A  few  strag- 
gling and  withered-looking  specimens  of  the  sahuaro 
were  observed  in  the  neighborhood  toward  the  south, 
the  probable  limit  of  the  southern  extension  of  this 
interesting  cactus.  The  railroad,  which  will  soon  make 
connections  with  Guadalajara,  the  second  largest  city  in 
the  Mexican  republic,  will  open  up  a  country  singularly 
rich  for  the  pursuit  of  wellnigh  all  kinds  of  agriculture, 
and  believed  to  contain  vast  resources  of  undeveloped 


136  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


mineral  wealth.  It  will  be  one  of  the  most  important 
of  the  great  railroad  communications  of  Mexico.  The 
climate  is  very  warm  and  the  month  of  September  did 
not  show  much  abatement  of  the  heat.  In  the  hotels 
ice  is  always  served  with  the  water  and  it  is  found  very 
acceptable.  However,  in  this  comparatively  dry  region, 
which  is  still  part  of  the  so-called  Sonora  Desert,  one 
is  always  reminded  that  the  drinking  water  served  is 
very  likely  to  be  neither  clean  nor  wholesome.  It  ought 
to  be  boiled  before  drinking. 

The  State  of  Sonora  is,  as  is  well-known,  the  home  of 
the  Yaqui  Indians  and  the  scene  of  war  for,  more  or  less, 
one  hundred  and  sixty  years  between  these  extraordinary 
able-bodied  and  very  intelligent  Indians  and  the  masters 
of  Mexico  on  the  other  hand.  It  is  the  old  question  oc- 
curring all  over  the  world,  whether  the  country  belongs 
to  the  native  of  the  soil  or  to  the  conqueror,  and,  without 
desiring  to  enter  into  the  merits  or  demerits  of  the  case 
in  point,  I  should  like  to  express  my  pleasure  at  the  re- 
cent termination  of  hostilities  which  were  ruinous  to  both 
sides.  What  soldiers  can  compete  with  men  who  have 
been  known  to  make  seventy  miles  a  day  on  foot,  carry- 
ing as  provisions  only  a  bag  of  pinole  ?  Their  campaign 
was  an  instance  of  the  destruction  that  a  well-directed 
guerilla  force  may  cause.  Mining  and  agriculture  came 
to  a  standstill  and  nobody  ventured  outside  of  Hermosillo 
and  Guaymas  without  an  escort.  The  partner  of  the 
photographer  of  Guaymas  had  been  killed  by  the  Yaquis, 
and  the  photographer  himself  had  been  deprived  of  a 
large  sum  of  money  by  them,  so  he  entertained  no  kindly 


ABLE  INDIANS 


137 


feeling  toward  them,  but  he  said  that  their  valor  was 
superb.  A  Mexican  colonel  and  friend  of  his  went  to 
the  Yaqui  River  with  six  hundred  and  forty  soldiers. 
Four  years  later  his  force  had  been  reduced  to  one  hun- 
dred and  forty,  and  if  the  authorities  had  not  transferred 
them  somewhere  else,  they  would  soon  have  had  to 
transfer  him  alone,  the  colonel  told  him.  Peace,  hon- 
orable to  both  parties,  had  been  concluded  a  few  months 
before  my  arrival.  The  chiefs  received  military  rank  of 
varying  degrees  with  corresponding  salaries,  pledging 
themselves  in  return  to  maintain  peace  and  order  in 
their  respective  districts. 

The  Yaqui,  besides  their  own  language,  speak  Span- 
ish and  are  Roman  Catholic,  although  they  keep  up 
many  aboriginal  customs  and  beliefs.  As  miners  and 
laborers  they  are  preferred  by  Americans  to  Caucasians 
or  other  races.  They  have,  which  for  Indians  is  a  sin- 
gular gift,  great  mechanical  ability  and  learn  to  work 
machines  quicker  than  the  whites.  This  I  have  on  the 
authority  of  Americans  themselves.  When  the  war  left 
Sonora  without  working  men,  Chinese  and  Japanese  were 
imported,  but  their  work  was  not  half  as  well  done. 
Even  when  fifty  or  sixty  years  old  the  hair  of  the  Yaqui 
remains  black  and  their  teeth  are  as  white  as  pearls. 

An  unexpected  attack  of  dysentery,  caused  by  putting 
too  much  ice  in  my  wash-tub,  compelled  me  to  shorten 
my  stay  and  return  to  Magdalena,  where  I  was  ill  for  a 
week.  It  may  be  of  interest  to  travellers  to  know  that 
Hunyadi  Janos  water,  two  small  glasses  a  day,  was  ex- 
tremely beneficial  in  my  case,  and  was  in  fact  my  prin- 


138  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


cipal  remedy.  Outside  of  my  rooms  on  the  plaza  prep- 
arations were  being  made  for  the  annual  feast  of  San 
Francisco,  the  patron  saint,  which  was  to  begin  two 
weeks  hence  on  the  8th  of  October.  Two  monstrosi- 
ties of  merry-go-rounds  of  the  most  prosaic  American 
manufacture,  with  mechanical  devices  for  the  accom- 
panying noise  of  horribly  loud  organs,  began  operations 
ahead  of  time,  one  of  them  being  a  few  feet  from  my 
window.  The  one  melody  of  which  the  instruments 
were  capable — that  is,  if  the  mechanical  noise  could  be 
dignified  by  such  a  name — was  produced  over  and  over 
again  for  hours,  and  it  became  a  maddening,  unbearable 
torment  which  decided  me,  though  in  a  weak  condition, 
to  move. 

With  my  attendant,  a  middle-aged  Mexican  from 
Mazatlan,  I  arrived  safely  at  a  cluster  of  houses  lying 
on  both  sides  of  a  street,  seven  miles  from  Magdalena, 
called  San  Ignacio.  An  impressive  old  church  presides 
as  usual  over  the  village,  which  is  remarkable  as  be- 
ing Father  Kino's  second  mission  in  Sonora,  estabHshed 
in  the  year  1687.  I  hoped  to  find  a  room  with  some 
Mexican  family  here.  Most  of  the  houses  had  plots  of 
ground  with  fruit  trees  and  some  attempts  at  gardening. 
The  quiet,  peaceful,  atmosphere  of  the  place  was  like  a 
soothing  balm  to  the  nerves.  I  stopped  outside  the  house 
of  Prisciliano  Ruiz,  my  former  guide,  to  consult  him  as 
to  a  convenient  room.  He  himself  had  a  small  house, 
consisting  of  a  single  room,  which  had  just  been  vacated, 
and  he  urged  me  to  take  it.  My  things  were  moved  in 
here  and  my  cot  put  up  between  the  small  window  and 


NATURE'S  OWN  REMEDY 


the  door,  so  as  to  ensure  plenty  of  air,  and  I  felt  truly 
thankful  to  be  beyond  hearing  of  the  fiesta.  Sitting  all 
day  in  a  garden  where  granadas,  lemon  and  walnut  trees 
grew,  but  where  nature  itself  had  done  most  of  the  gar- 
dening, I  soon  began  to  recover;  the  lovely  air,  nature's 
cheerful  surroundings,  and  the  unobtrusive  kindness  of 
my  host  and  hostess  making  me  feel  better  immediately. 
In  a  day  or  two  I  was  able  to  share  their  came  con  caUo, 
the  Mexican  pot  au  feu,  which  includes  such  delicacies 
as  new  green  corn,  new  string  beans,  and  squashes. 

My  attendant  was  a  cargador  (carrier)  whose  business 
may  best  be  described  as  being  that  of  moving  goods 
which  he  carries  on  his  own  back.  He  was  one  of  those 
men  who  can  move  a  piano  in  this  manner.  He  hailed 
from  Mazatlan,  where  he  used  to  make  a  good  living  as  a 
dock  laborer,  but  the  life  was  hard,  he  overstrained  him- 
self, and  he  was  now  a  handy  man  in  Magdalena,  of  good 
reputation  and  much  employed.  Though  slightly  below 
medium  size,  when  at  his  best  he  had  been  able  to  carry 
twenty-six  arrobas  (six  hundred  and  fifty  pounds).  Oddly 
enough,  during  his  work  he  used  to  consume  a  bottle  of 
mescal  a  day,  for,  like  all  cargadores,  he  believed  in 
stimulants;  it  made  him  stronger,  he  would  insist.  Even 
at  the  present  day  he  was  capable  of  carrying  five  hun- 
dred pounds. 

After  six  days'  stay  here  I  felt  sufficiently  improved 
in  health  to  return  to  Magdalena  where  arrangements  had 
been  made  for  a  start  westward  on  the  same  day  with  a 
wagon  and  two  men.  Though  the  fiesta  was  still  several 
days  off,  the  streets  were  filled  with  throngs  of  people  who 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


had  come  to  deposit  money  with  the  image  of  the  locally 
famous  saint — thousands  of  dollars — gaining  thus  ma- 
terial benefit,  besides  having  a  good  time.  The  saint  is 
especially  honored  by  the  Papagoes,  who  gather  from  dis- 
tant parts  of  their  extensive  region  to  do  homage  in  a  very 
substantial  way.  We  met  two  large  parties  of  Indians, 
men  and  women,  riding  on  horseback,  in  their  best  out- 
fits. At  dusk  a  party  of  gypsies — Hungarians,  as  they  are 
called  in  Mexico — passed  us,  also  bound  for  the  great 
fiesta  of  San  Francisco.  From  the  town  of  Santa  Ana 
we  took  the  road  to  El  Tiro  gold  mine,  which  passes  the 
village  called  Trincheras,  which  I  was  desirous  of  visiting 
on  account  of  its  remarkable  ancient  structures.  For 
three  or  four  hours  we  were  crossing  a  large,  low  mesa 
with  a  predominant  vegetation  of  palo  fierro  trees,  the 
leaves  of  which  furnish  here  the  sole  means  of  subsistence 
for  herds  of  cattle.  They  grow  fat  on  this,  drinking 
water  only  every  third  day. 

Trincheras  derives  its  name  from  the  ''trenches,"  as 
the  Mexicans  call  them,  which  cover  one  side  of  a  long 
mountain,  at  the  base  of  which  the  village  lies  on  a  fer- 
tile plain.  There  is  much  water  under  the  sandy  plain 
and  a  steam  pump  has  been  erected  which  sends  it  four- 
teen miles  west  to  El  Boludo  gold  mine.  The  ancient 
works  which  I,  for  convenience,  shall  call  fortifications, 
run  as  walls  along  the  north  side  of  the  mountain,  parallel 
to  each  other  and  seemingly  at  the  same  distance  apart 
though  of  different  lengths.  They  presented  an  extraor- 
dinary sight,  made  more  impressive  by  the  afternoon 
sun,  which,  by  its  accompanying  shadows,  brought  the 


NOTABLE  ANCIENT  STRUCTURES 


stone  walls  into  strong  relief.  I  counted  twenty  of  them, 
one  above  the  other.  Roughly  speaking,  they  occupied  a 
height  of  about  four  hundred  feet  measured  from  base 
to  top,  some  of  them  attaining  a  length  of  two  thousand 
feet.  After  sunset  hundreds  of  turkey  vultures  circled 
over  the  tops  of  the  mountain,  and  finally  settled  down 
for  the  night  on  the  uppermost  rocks. 

The  mountain  runs  in  an  easterly  and  westerly  direc- 
tion and  has  four  tops,  the  highest  rising  over  five  hun- 
dred feet  above  the  plain;  the  western  is  the  lowest, 
being  hardly  four  hundred  feet.  The  fortifications  are 
found  mainly  in  the  middle  region  of  the  slope.  They 
are  somewhat  narrow  terraces,  built  of  andesitic  lava, 
their  front  presenting  fairly  well-laid  walls  rising  to  the 
height  of  a  man  or  even  higher.  The  four  or  five  that 
are  lowest  down  on  the  slope  are  almost  on  level  ground, 
while  the  highest,  which  are  very  short,  climb  to  the  top ; 
usually,  however,  the  slopes  immediately  below  the  tops 
are  left  without  fortifications.  Noticeable  in  the  long 
terraces  at  certain  places  is  the  widening  out  like  a 
bastion.  On  the  south  side  of  the  mountain  there  are 
said  to  be  a  few  fortifications  of  a  character  similar  to 
those  on  the  north  side.  Mexicans  told  me  that  on  the 
tops  were  small  corrals  or  enclosures  formed  by  upright 
stones  in  the  ground,  which  were  probably  abodes  of  the 
ancient  people.  Broken  pieces  of  crude  pottery,  metates 
(grinding  stones),  lance-heads  of  hard  stone,  and  beads 
made  from  sea-shells  have  been  found  and  may  yet  be 
found  on  the  terraces.  There  is  a  report  from  an  evi- 
dently reliable  Mexican  source  that  in  digging  a  well  in 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


the  village,  pieces  of  broken  pottery  were  found  twenty- 
feet  below  the  surface,  water  being  reached  at  a  depth  of 
seventeen  feet. 

In  the  Papagueria  ancient  fortifications  of  a  similar 
kind  to  these  are  of  common  occurrence,  especially  in 
Sonora.  On  the  road  from  Trincheras  to  Santa  Ana 
they  are  seen  on  a  low  range  called  Arituaba  and  again 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Santa  Ana.  They  are  found  on 
the  road  from  Magdalena  to  Cerro  Prieto,  near  the  vil- 
lage of  San  Ignacio,  near  Altar  and  Caborca,  near  the 
Indian  ranch.  La  Nariz,  on  the  hill-tops  near  Tucson, 
Arizona,  and  at  many  other  places.  I  have  visited  many 
of  these,  and  while,  as  a  rule,  the  idea  of  fortifications  as 
well  as  habitations  at  the  top  in  the  shape  of  small  en- 
closures of  upright  stones  predominates,  it  seems  as  if 
here  at  Trincheras  the  extensive  stone  structures  cannot 
be  explained  by  having  been  fortifications  solely,  because 
the  other  side  of  the  mountain  would  furnish  an  easy 
access  for  attack.  Still  less  probable  is  it  that  agriculture 
was  pursued  on  these  narrow  terraces,  where  people  un- 
doubtedly lived,  judging  from  the  remains  left  of  house- 
hold utensils.  They  here  seem  likely  to  have  been  of  re- 
ligious importance,  serving  at  the  same  time  as  places  of 
refuge  in  case  of  need.  This  is  also,  I  understand,  the 
opinion  of  Professor  W.  J.  McGee,  who  first  called  at- 
tention to  these  remarkable  remains.  Nowhere  else  in 
northern  Mexico  do  the  trincheras  compare  in  magnitude 
to  those  seen  here.  The  ruins  of  La  Quemada  in  the 
State  of  Zacatecas  are  of  a  different  character. 

It  is  useless  to  speculate  as  to  what  races  built  the  for- 


ANTIQUITIES 


H3 


tifications  at  Trincheras  beyond  the  certainty  that  they 
were  constructed  by  ancient  people  who  antedated  the 
occupation  of  the  country  by  the  Papago.  They  have 
left  polished  stone  axes  and  nicely  executed  stone  imple- 
ments on  village  sites  along  the  Altar  River  and  even  as 
far  west  as  Sonoita,  while  in  Arizona  ancient  artifacts  may 
be  found  in  the  rest  of  the  Papagueria,  especially  along 
the  Santa  Cruz  and  the  Gila  Rivers.  Grooved  stone  axes 
are  commonly  encountered  through  this  region,  including 
Sonoita.  On  this  point  Professor  W.  A.  Holmes  informs 
me:  **This  is  the  most  westerly  occurrence  of  the  grooved 
stone  axe  in  this  latitude,  so  far  as  recorded,  if  we  except  a 
few  specimens  reported  from  California,  which,  being 
so  exceptional,  may  have  been  carried  from  some  more 
easterly  district." 

Broken  pieces  of  pottery  are  numerous  on  the  village 
sites,  showing  no  high  art,  though  apparently  equal  to  that 
of  modern  pueblo  make.  Insignificant  mounds,  rem- 
nants of  what  once  were  houses  or  villages,  may  be  met 
with  here  and  there.  Pictographs  on  the  rocks  are  fre- 
quently seen  through  the  region,  often  being  found  among 
the  fortifications,  and,  with  perhaps  a  few  exceptions, 
they  owe  their  existence  to  the  same  prehistoric  people; 
they  are  of  a  similar  character  as  the  decorations  on  the 
earthen-ware  of  the  region. 

Often  in  my  travels  in  Mexico  do  I  think  of  the  valor 
of  the  early  Spanish  explorers  and  settlers — no  distance 
too  great  for  them,  no  region  too  inhospitable  to  traverse, 
no  mountains  too  difficult  of  access!  Valiant  padres, 
escorted  by  soldiers  or  otherwise,  travelled  everywhere  in 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


their  zeal  to  make  converts,  bringing  cattle  and  horses 
and  introducing  new  cereals  and  new  methods  of  agri- 
culture. In  the  field  of  precious  metals  it  is  astounding 
how  comprehensive  were  the  discoveries  of  the  early 
Spanish  settlers,  their  inborn  instinct  for  metals  being 
undeterred  by  any  obstacle,  and  often  receiving  assistance 
from  the  natives.  Sometimes  in  the  wilds  the  traveller 
is  surprised  to  meet  with  an  old  shaft  sunk  in  a  place 
where  he  was  wondering  perhaps  whether  he  was  not  the 
first  human  being  to  pass. 

Such  thoughts  occupied  me  as  I  continued  my  journey 
westward  with  the  towns  of  Altar  and  Caborca  as  my  first 
aim.  In  this  north-western  corner  of  Mexico,  which 
must  have  appeared  to  the  Spaniards  very  inhospitable  on 
account  of  its  scarcity  of  water,  they  discovered  the  great 
gold-bearing  district  around  El  Boludo;  here  are  the 
great  placer  mines  La  Cienega  and  San  Francisco,  which 
the  present  generation  has  begun  to  work  with  renewed 
energy.  Along  what  is  called  the  Altar  River,  without 
running  water  most  of  the  year,  they  found  soil  suitable 
for  agriculture,  and  the  town  of  Altar  was  founded  as  well 
as  Caborca  and  other  settlements  that  took  the  places  of 
Papago  rancherias. 

At  a  distance  Altar  has  a  certain  oriental  appearance 
on  account  of  many  tall  date  palms  and  the  Moorish 
style  apparent  in  the  church  tower.  Most  of  the  town, 
consisting  of  two  long  streets  of  adobe  houses,  can  be 
dimly  discerned  between  clusters  of  trees  and  the  many 
milpas  (cultivated  fields)  that  surround  it.  Along  the 
great,  dry  river  bed  are  many  thriving  fields,  which  are, 


SALUBRIOUS  CLIMATE 


145 


at  first  sight,  rather  surprising,  but  this  is  due  to  the  fact 
that  when  the  river,  after  heavy  showers  in  the  summer, 
is  running  with  water  for  a  few  hours,  it  may  be  for  a 
day,  the  water  is  diverted  for  irrigation.  Besides,  there 
is  always  water  in  the  sand,  this  being  more  apparent 
further  down  the  river  at  Pitiquito  and  Caborca,  where 
water  flows  permanently  for  short  distances  and  is  in- 
geniously utilized  for  extensive  fields  of  agriculture.  We 
must  also  remember  that  we  have  now  arrived  in  a  re- 
gion where  one  good  shower  of  rain  in  November  is 
enough  to  ensure  a  good  crop  of  wheat  in  the  following 
May,  no  rain  being  needed  except  at  the  time  of  sowing. 
I  was  shown  a  date  palm,  over  ninety  feet  high,  which 
was  said  to  be  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  old.  Wood- 
peckers had  made  nests  in  its  trunk. 

There  are  several  wells  or  cisterns  in  the  town.  The 
cHmate,  though  very  hot  in  the  summer,  is  dry  and 
extremely  salubrious.  No  epidemic  diseases  thrive  here. 
Altar  is  the  seat  of  the  prefect  of  the  large  district  of  the 
same  name,  which  reaches  as  far  west  as  the  Colorado 
River,  and  the  federal  government  has  a  mining  agent 
here.  I  found  an  excellent  Jonda  (small  restaurant)  op- 
posite the  post-office;  a  weekly  paper  is  published,  and 
twice  a  week  a  stage  runs  to  Santa  Ana,  bringing  pas- 
sengers and  mail  as  far  as  Caborca.  There  are  several 
stores  in  Altar,  but  commerce  and  general  business  ac- 
tivity are  less  than  in  Caborca,  situated  about  twenty 
miles  further  down  the  river,  and  my  next  stopping 
place. 

An  up-to-date  flour  mill  is  found  at  this  latter  town, 


146  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


owned  by  Mexicanized  Frenchmen.  Another  mill  is 
being  built  in  the  neighboring  small  town,  Pitiquito, 
which  is  surrounded  by  extensive  wheat-fields,  and  where 
oranges  thrive  in  abundance.  The  modern  part  of  Ca- 
borca  was  removed  in  recent  times  to  the  present  situa- 
tion, and  is  laid  out  ambitiously  with  streets  as  wide  as 
those  in  St.  Petersburg.  Dr.  K.  Kitazawa,  a  Japanese 
physician,  well  spoken  of  by  everybody,  finds  enough  to 
do  here  and  among  the  few  scattered  mines  and  ranches 
in  the  neighboring  country.  He  did  not  know  of  any  case 
of  malaria  here,  but  there  was  considerable  tuberculosis 
among  the  Mexicans.  There  had  been  quite  a  number 
of  cases  of  pneumonia  and  la  grippe,  which  among  the 
Papago  and  Yaqui  Indians  often  develop  into  tubercu- 
losis. 

The  church  in  the  old  part  of  Caborca  is  an  unusu- 
ally beautiful  building,  noble  in  its  architecture.  Al- 
though the  old  mission  of  Caborca  did  not  possess  as 
many  head  of  cattle  as  that  of  Cocospera,  which  at  one 
time,  according  to  J.  F.  Velasco,  branded  annually  ten 
thousand  head,  still  it  was  equally  rich.  Its  wealth  was 
derived  from  agriculture,  and  the  bountiful  crops  of 
wheat,  peas,  beans,  lentils,  and  Indian  corn  brought  a 
profit  by  which  the  church  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  sixty 
thousand  pesos. 

Formerly  the  Altar  River  passed  one-half  mile  fur- 
ther east,  but  its  strong  though  short-lived  waters  changed 
their  course,  carrying  away  some  of  the  bank  on  which 
the  convent  attached  to  the  church  rests,  as  well  as  a 
part  of  the  building.    The  water  is  at  present  controlled 


A  RANCH,   WEST  OF  AlTAR,  SHOWING  THE  IXUISPEXSABLE   WATER  BARRELS 


I 


AMERICAN  FILIBUSTERS 


for  agricultural  interests,  and  the  small  stream  which  as 
a  quiet  brook  passes  back  of  the  church  represents  the 
last  of  the  Altar  River,  soon  to  disappear  into  the  sand. 

In  this  church  it  was  that  the  population  took  refuge 
in  1857  to  defend  itself  against  the  American  filibusters 
under  the  command  of  Captain  H.  A.  Crabbe  who  in- 
vaded the  pueblo.  The  presidente  of  Caborca  accom- 
panied me  up  into  the  tower  to  show  me  the  marks  of 
the  enemy's  bullets.  The  Americans  had  entrenched 
themselves  in  a  private  dwelling  opposite,  maintaining 
probably  a  well-directed  rifle  fire.  A  Papago  Indian 
saved  the  day  for  the  Mexicans  by  ingeniously  attaching 
fire  to  an  arrow  which  he  shot  from  the  tower  onto  the 
straw  roof  of  the  American  fortress,  thereby  succeeding 
in  igniting  it,  which  forced  its  surrender.  The  Ameri- 
cans were  all  shot,  for  times  were  rough  in  those  fron- 
tier days. 

The  Papago  Indians  of  Caborca  number  eight  fam- 
ilies who  live  in  the  suburbs,  most  of  them  making  their 
living  by  working  for  the  Mexicans.  Two  families  still 
possess  nice,  large  fields  where  both  maize  and  wheat 
are  raised  and  where  splendid  specimens  of  the  wild  fig 
trees  (Spanish,  higuera)  were  conspicuous;  this  fruit  is 
gathered  twice  a  year  and  eaten  fresh  or  dried.  Other 
fruit  trees  here  were  granadas  and  peach  trees,  as  well  as 
the  ever-present  nopal  cactus,  which  is  so  useful  to  the 
natives,  both  stems  and  fruit  being  relished.  There  are 
great  numbers  of  the  giant  cactus  growing  between  here 
and  the  coast,  but  the  fruit  has  not  been  gathered  for 
several  years.    It  appears  that  a  feast  at  which  sahuaro 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


wine  was  drunk  was  dependent  at  Caborca  on  the  kill- 
ing of  the  mule-deer  (called  by  the  Mexicans  huro).  At 
the  dance  which  was  executed  in  a  different  manner  from 
that  of  the  ordinary  sahuaro  festival,  the  men  carried 
arrows,  and  the  singing  was  accompanied  by  the  medi- 
cine-man's rasping  sticks.  The  same  kind  of  festival  is 
probably  still  in  use  among  Indians  west  of  the  Altar 
River. 

The  Indians  at  this  place  show  the  usual  intelligence 
of  their  tribe.  One  young  man  who  had  been  instructed 
in  the  knowledge  of  the  alphabet  by  an  American  in 
Quitovac,  taught  himself  how  to  read.  He  did  not  read 
fluently,  but  had  almost  mastered  the  art.  Few  of  the 
Indians  here  can,  however,  be  depended  upon  for  work, 
as  they  are  demoralized  by  the  mescal  brandy.  They 
seem  to  employ  their  time  between  earning  money  and 
getting  drunk  therewith.  They  are  no  longer  able  to 
keep  up  their  native  feasts  and  are  rapidly  disappearing 
into  the  body  of  Mexican  laborers.  The  same  is  the 
case  with  the  remnants  of  Papagoes  who  live  in  the  rest 
of  the  towns  or  settlements  along  the  Altar  River. 

My  plan  had  been  to  fit  out  my  expedition  here,  but 
the  difficulty  I  experienced  in  trying  to  secure  riding  and 
pack  animals,  not  to  speak  of  men  of  the  right  sort,  de- 
cided me  to  continue  the  journey  by  wagon.  All  traffic 
here  is  by  wagon,  and  it  is  easy  to  proceed  by  this  mode 
of  transportation  as  far  as  Quitovac  and  Sonoita,  two 
settlements  of  Mexicans  with  considerable  Indian  pop- 
ulations in  the  farthest  inhabitable  western  part  of  the 
District  of  Altar.    Even  a  wagon  proved  difficult  to 


THE  WAGON  QUESTION  149 

procure.  The  carreros  (wagon  owners)  all  seemed  to  be 
away,  though  expected  back. 

Through  the  kind  assistance  of  the  Japanese  doctor 
I  secured  an  acceptable  interpreter,  a  pure-blooded  Pa- 
pago,  Clemente,  and  finally,  through  a  prominent  busi- 
ness man,  a  wagon  was  engaged,  which  was  to  be  driven 
by  its  owner,  Alberto  Celaya,  an  intelligent  Mexican  who 
knew  the  country,  having  been  born  and  raised  at  Qui- 
tovac.  Caborca  being  the  last  place  for  mail,  I  should 
from  now  on  have  to  depend  for  news  of  the  outside  world 
upon  some  obliging  traveller  who,  going  westward,  might 
bring  along  my  letters  and  newspapers.  For  the  first 
days  or  weeks  one  misses  sorely  one's  mail,  especially  if 
interested  in  knowing  what  takes  place  on  the  rest  of  the 
globe,  but  after  a  while  one  gets  used  to  being  without 
news,  and  on  an  expedition  of  this  kind  it  is  far  the  best 
plan  to  go  heart  and  soul  into  what  is  being  done;  a 
world  of  one's  own  is  created  for  the  time  being,  rich  in 
events  through  the  conquering  of  obstacles,  the  visiting 
of  new  places  full  of  interest  and  the  observations  to  be 
made,  besides  being  a  source  of  much  delight  to  any  one 
who  opens  his  heart  to  nature. 

After  so  much  delay  I  was  glad  to  get  a  start.  About 
six  miles  from  Caborca  an  old  mezquite  tree  growing 
on  the  eastern  bank  of  an  arroyo  is  passed.  It  has  the 
mark  of  a  cross  cut  into  the  trunk,  because  this  tree 
used  to  be  the  goal  of  the  Papago  ball  players  of  Caborca; 
the  judges  are  said  to  have  been  on  horseback.  A  few 
hours  later  our  wagon,  which  was  guaranteed  to  be  in 
first-class  condition  and  looked  it,  suddenly  gave  us  a 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


great  surprise  by  breaking  down.  Clemente,  the  Pa- 
pago  interpreter,  tall  and  long-legged,  immediately  started 
on  a  fast  run  in  order  to  overtake  an  empty  wagon  that 
five  minutes  before  had  passed  us  rather  briskly  on  the 
llano.  As  he  ran  he  fired  three  shots  from  his  pistol  to 
attract  the  driver's  attention,  and  after  an  hour  or  more 
brought  the  wagon  back.  The  goods  were  transferred 
and  Clemente  and  I  made  our  camp  near  Tajitos,  a  small 
gold  mine,  until  our  driver  returned  from  Caborca  with 
a  new  wagon,  which  he  had  managed  to  borrow. 

We  passed  Norias,  a  gold  placer  mine,  where  a  small 
number  of  Mexicans  and  one  Indian  family  live.  The 
Papagoes,  both  father  and  son,  had  discovered  mines. 
The  father's  discovery  had  once  been  thought  important, 
and  he  had  received  four  thousand  dollars  for  it,  which 
was  spent  long  ago  in  the  usual  light-hearted  fashion  of 
the  miner.  The  old  man,  humorous  and  frank,  con- 
soled himself  with  the  fact  that  he  owed  nothing  and 
owned  a  wagon.  Westward  of  this  placer  mine  among 
the  hills  toward  Cozon  are  many  now  abandoned  gold- 
fields  that  yielded  short-lasting  but  rich  harvests  to  those 
engaged  in  "dry  washing"  the  surface.  Bonancita,  San 
Perfecto,  San  Luis,  and  Hornitos  are  familiar  names  to 
the  few  who  know  the  history  of  this  part  of  the  Dis- 
trict of  Altar. 

At  the  Ranch  Garambullo  (the  name  of  a  thorny  bush) 
are  living  six  or  seven  Mexican  families  whose  water 
supply  is  a  dam  which  is  not  sufficiently  large  to  serve 
beyond  a  limited  time,  when  they  are  compelled  to  leave 
for  other  parts.    Only  one  family,  that  of  Sr.  Santos 


SPRING  CACTI 


Ortega,  remains  all  the  year  around,  and  he  and  his  son 
gave  intelligent  information  concerning  conditions  in  the 
arid  region.  He  hauled  water  in  barrels  from  the  well  at 
Norias,  which  was  mostly  for  household  use.  The  cattle 
in  that  western  region  of  the  Altar  district  do  not,  as  is 
well  known,  trouble  much  about  drinking  water,  the 
juicy  cacti  supplying  largely  their  needs  both  as  regards 
pasture  and  water.  Different  kinds  of  opuntias  are  their 
favorites,  both  the  nopal  cactus,  with  flattened  stems,  and 
in  particular  the  cylindrical  forms  which  are  comprised 
under  the  Mexican  name  choya.  There  is  probably  no 
plant  in  the  desert  that  has  such  formidable  supines  as  the 
choya  blanca  {ppuntia  fulgida)^  which  is  covered  with  so 
many  light-colored  spines  that  the  whole  plant  appears 
whitish,  and  hence  its  name.  It  is  dangerous  to  approach- 
them,  as  they  even  pierce  thick  shoes,  and  the  spiny  joints 
seem  to  spring  at  you  before  they  are  touched.  The 
spines  have  to  be  removed  no  matter  how  pressed  for  time 
one  may  be,  for  they  are  very  painful  and  enter  deeper 
and  deeper.  Cattle  do  not  pay  any  attention  to  these 
terrible  joints,  but  horses  try  to  get  rid  of  them  by  kick- 
ing or  stamping  violently.  Dogs  are  much  annoyed  by 
them  and  bravely  bite  them  off. 

On  one  occasion  my  driver,  frantically  chasing  one  of 
his  mules  in  attempts  to  lasso  it,  ran  unawares  against  such 
a  choya  and  was  speared  to  a  terrible  extent.  He  stopped 
paralyzed  with  agony,  for  the  joints  had  entered  his  left 
arm  as  far  as  the  elbow;  his  hand  was  literally  clutching 
one  which  was  deeply  embedded  in  his  flesh,  and  several 
were  clinging  to  his  back;  the  slightest  movement  would 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


augment  the  intense  pain  which  may  best  be  imagined 
by  any  one  who  has  been  stung  by  one  spine  alone. 
With  sticks  I  removed  the  torturing  instruments  bit  by 
bit,  while  he  trembled  from  the  excruciating  pain.  A 
person  not  accustomed  to  these  spines  and  of  less  fortitude 
would  have  been  in  a  dangerous  condition.  I  bathed  his 
hand  with  arnica  and,  strange  to  say,  it  was  not  swol- 
len. The  pain  disappeared  as  soon  as  the  spines  were 
taken  out.  He  then  set  a  match  to  the  choya,  destroy- 
ing in  this  way  all  its  spines,  and  went  for  the  mule 
again,  but  this  time  he  was  less  violent  in  his  treatment  of 
the  animal. 

Incredible  as  it  may  sound,  these  cacti  are  not  de- 
spised as  food  by  cattle  or  by  the  pronghorn  antelope, 
although  the  former  do  not  resort  to  them  in  places 
where  the  other  kind  grows,  which  the  Mexicans  call 
*'nude,"  choya  pelon,  on  account  of  its  fewer  though 
scarcely  less  terrible  spines.  Its  color  is  a  darker  green 
and  it  reaches  sometimes  a  height  of  ten  feet.  This 
choya  (opuntia  mamillata)  furnishes  for  at  least  three 
months  of  the  year  the  staple  food  as  well  as  the  only 
drink  of  the  cattle  of  that  part  of  the  District  of  Altar. 
Near  the  mine  El  Plomo  may  be  observed  the  largest 
number  of  these  plants,  covering  a  space  some  four  or 
five  miles  long  and  three  broad.  Palo  verde,  palo  fierro, 
and  mezquites  grow  alongside  of  the  choyas  and,  when 
their  leaves  appear,  furnish  another  food  supply.  In  the 
stretch  of  country  that  encloses,  roughly  speaking,  Cozon, 
Garambullo,  and  El  Plomo,  it  would,  according  to  Sr. 
Ortega,  be  possible  to  bring  together  from  three  to  four 


Choya  {Opimtia  mmnUlata),  relished  as  food  by  the  cattle 


CACTUS-EATING  CATTLE 


hundred  head  of  cattle  that  '*do  not  drink  water,"  to  use 
the  expression  in  vogue  out  there. 

A  cow  making  her  meals  from  these  plants  is  an  in- 
teresting sight.  The  thick  joint  is  carefully  bitten  off 
and  brought  into  the  mouth;  turning  the  head  upward, 
she  works  the  sharp  bit  around  with  her  tongue,  chewing 
until  after  two  or  three  minutes  it  slips  down,  and  then 
she  begins  anew,  evidently  enjoying  her  meal  in  spite  of 
the  pain  from  the  thorns  to  which  she  has  grown  accus- 
tomed. The  easily  detached  cactus  joints,  which,  like 
gigantic  burrs,  fasten  themselves  to  the  head  and  fore- 
part of  her  body,  are  allowed  to  drop  off  by  themselves 
after  suppuration  takes  place  in  the  course  of  four  or  five 
days.  In  that  country  the  cattle  are  almost  always  thus 
decorated  and  they  do  not  seem  to  suffer  any  incon- 
venience. They  are  in  that  way  instrumental  in  dis- 
seminating this  opuntia,  sometimes  at  fifty  miles'  distance 
from  the  starting  point,  and  through  their  digestive  organs 
they  scatter  the  seeds  of  the  mezquite  from  one  place  to 
another. 

All  who  live  in  the  desert  region  assert  that  there  are 
cattle  which  do  not  drink  unless  it  rains.  This  seems 
to  be  the  case  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  many  months,  even 
half  a  year  or  more,  may  elapse  between  rains.  Of  this 
remarkable  adaptation  to  environment  on  the  part  of 
domesticated  animals,  especially  of  cattle,  I  gained  a 
fairly  complete  knowledge  during  the  many  months  I 
spent  in  that  arid  region.  In  the  middle  of  April,  1910, 
I  again  had  occasion  to  pass  Garambullo.  During  the 
preceding  winter  water  in  the  dams  ran  short  in  December, 


154  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 

and  since  then  the  cattle  had  not  drunk  water,  but  they 
were  in  good  condition  and  quite  fat.  The  daytime  they 
would  spend  in  the  shade  of  the  trees,  but  at  night  and 
early  in  the  morning  they  would  feed.  In  this  manner 
they  would  maintain  themselves  until  the  next  shower, 
which  more  than  likely  would  not  come  before  July. 

Sr.  Ortega,  at  Garambullo,  is  also  known  to  have 
milked  three  or  four  cows  without  giving  them  water  to 
drink,  and  in  regard  to  this  he  gave  the  following  inter- 
esting information:  After  his  dam  had  dried  up  at  the 
end  of  March,  1909,  he  gave  the  calves  only  water  every 
three  or  four  days.  The  cows,  although  drinking  no 
water,  yielded  over  one  litre  of  milk  each  every  morning 
until  the  middle  of  June.  Both  cheese  and  butter  were 
made,  and  the  milk  from  the  cows  that  eat  choya  has  the 
reputation  of  being  very  good.  He  assured  me  that,  even 
if  driven  to  the  dam,  the  cows  did  not  care  to  drink. 

The  conditions  in  the  sand  dunes  near  the  coast  are, 
if  possible,  even  more  remarkable.  Here  one  or  two 
species  of  plants  which  the  scanty  winter  rains  call  into 
existence  serve  the  same  purpose  as  the  choya.  In  this 
connection  the  beautiful  cenothera  trichocalyx^  called  by 
the  Mexicans  herha  salada,  should  be  mentioned  espe- 
cially; this  is  extraordinarily  green  and  juicy  and  much 
relished  by  cattle  and  horses.  As  soon  as  the  uncertain 
rains  of  winter  have  made  los  medanos  (sand  dunes) 
"'green,"  as  the  Mexicans  say,  the  cattle  and  horses  are 
driven  there  and  remain  three  months,  from  February  to 
the  end  of  May,  absolutely  without  water.  The  cattle 
do  not  gain  flesh,  but  sometimes  die  from  excess  of  fat. 


FAT  CATTLE 


155 


Some  have  been  known  to  yield  two  hundred  and  fifty 
pounds  of  fat.  Unfortunately  that  country  cannot  sup- 
port large  herds,  but  even  the  horses  at  that  time  suffer 
no  inconvenience  from  absence  of  water  to  drink. 


CHAPTER  X 


ADVENTURE  WITH  A  COYOTE— UNUSUAL  AFTERGLOW— A  METEOR 
—A  GREAT  AND  FERTILE  VALLEY— THE  CUSTOM  OF  NIARI— 
LA  NARIZ— THE  PAPAGOES  OF  QUITOVAC 

One  day,  shortly  after  noon,  as  our  wagon  travelled 
leisurely  along,  we  had  a  curious  experience  with  a  coyote, 
which  made  its  appearance  in  the  road,  one  hundred 
feet  behind  us.  The  driver  was  ordered  to  stop  the 
wagon  and  my  companions  were  asked  to  be  muy  si- 
lenciososy  in  order  to  give  me  an  opportunity  with  my  ever- 
ready  kodak.  The  coyote  approached  us  calmly,  moving 
around  among  the  bushes  and  sizing  us  up.  He  walked 
across  the  road  and,  much  to  my  astonishment,  turned  his 
paces  toward  us. 

"Perhaps  he  has  rabies;  better  kill  him,"  said  Alberto 
in  a  low  voice. 

Just  wait  and  keep  quiet,"  I  answered  as  the  coyote 
came  nearer  and  nearer  among  the  scanty  trees  and 
bushes.  He  passed  us  within  twenty  feet,  a  thin  palo 
verde  separating  us,  then  stopped  for  a  moment.  My 
terrier,  which,  on  account  of  the  heat,  was  in  the  habit  of 
never  paying  much  attention  to  anything  during  the  day- 
time, was  lying  near  the  wagon,  apparently  asleep.  The 
stranger,  a  beautiful  specimen  and  in  fine  condition,  in- 
quisitively approached  the  dog  within  ten  feet,  then 
stopped  again  and  looked  at  us.    Probably  the  dog's 

156 


AN  AUDACIOUS  COYOTE  157 


white  color  seemed  odd,  it  being  so  distinct  from  that  of 
other  canines  of  the  region;  perhaps  he  even  found  it  diffi- 
cult to  classify  correctly  the  motionless  body  curved  up 
in  a  ball  before  him  in  the  grass.  He  lifted  up,  dog- 
fashion,  a  hind  leg,  assuming  the  same  defiant  air  that 
dogs  do  when  about  to  meet  for  the  first  time.  He  over- 
reached himself  in  his  boldness,  however,  for  a  slight  noise 
against  a  low  branch  of  the  palo  verde,  as  well  as  a  waft 
of  an  unwelcome  scent,  aroused  my  dog  to  instant  action. 
Quick  as  lightning  he  rose  and  gave  chase,  the  coyote 
taking  to  his  legs  of  course,  but  in  a  leisurely  kind  of  a 
gallop,  which  soon  made  my  dog  tired  of  what  he  evidently 
considered  a  useless  pursuit.  I  was  able  to  get  several  fair 
pictures  of  the  coyote  while  he  was  in  the  neighborhood. 
''How  fat  he  was!  He  must  have  eaten  many  melons 
and  watermelons  in  the  temporales!"  my  men  began  dis- 
cussing. Perhaps  good  living  had  made  him  careless  and 
lazy.  These  animals  are  indeed  destructive  to  the  products 
of  dry  farming;  not  only  are  they  fond  of  eating  these 
fruits  and  the  green  corn,  but  they  destroy  more  than 
they  eat,  biting  into  melons  that  are  ripe,  perhaps  fifteen 
or  twenty  in  a  night. 

In  order  to  repair  the  faulty  wheels  of  our  wagon  we 
had  to  call  at  the  Campana  gold  mine,  where  the  super- 
intendent, with  the  usual  mechanical  ability  of  the  native- 
born  American,  soon  put  us  right.  This  mine  is  doing 
development  work  and  is  finding  good  values  of  ore  at  a 
depth  of  six  hundred  feet.  Usually  the  gold  mines  of 
the  Altar  district  are  blamed  for  having  mere  surface 
values.    According  to  the  manager,  the  gold  values  of  the 


158  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


district  have  been  misjudged  because  the  mines  have  not 
been  worked  deep  enough. 

On  Tuesday,  November  2,  we  observed  an  afterglow  of 
the  sun,  unusual  even  for  that  land  of  light,  air,  and  color. 
After  sunset  we  had  passed  the  unattractive  looking  and 
abandoned  mining  camp.  El  Tren.  At  dusk,  as  we 
continued  our  journey  toward  Zoni,  I  noticed  light  reddish 
sunlight  on  the  ridge,  not  much  more  than  three  hundred 
feet  high,  which  the  road  follows  for  several  miles.  Less 
than  the  upper  half  of  the  range  was  covered  by  the  light, 
the  lower  extension  line  of  which  was  horizontal.  The 
light,  gradually  fading,  lasted  for  five  minutes.  When  it 
first  appeared  my  watch  showed  it  to  be  5.45  p.  m.  Even  if 
my  watch  were  fast,  the  sun  must  have  set  fifteen  minutes 
before  the  phenomenon  appeared.  For  comparison,  I 
may  mention  that  it  was  6.27  a.  m.  by  my  watch  when  the 
sun  rose  next  morning  over  the  same  low  range. 

It  should  be  noted  that  even  the  night  was  lighter 
than  we  had  expected;  we  had  no  difficulty  in  following 
the  road,  although  during  the  last  fifteen  or  twenty 
minutes  it  grew  very  dark,  not,  however,  pitch-dark, 
and  we  arrived  at  Zoni  at  6.45  p.  m.  I  found  a  party  of 
Mexican  engineers,  as  well  as  a  young  Mexican  geolo- 
gist. Sr.  Y.  S.  Bonillas,  camped  on  this  more  or  less 
abandoned  ranch.  They  all  thought  that  my  watch  had 
the  right  time. 

The  engineers  were  surveying  the  boundary  line  of 
an  immense  tract  of  land  which  two  enterprising  young 
women  of  Kansas  City,  Missouri,  had  bought,  the  min- 
ing land  being  excepted.    The  territory  includes  a  great 


A  BRILLIANT  SPECTACLE 


slice  of  the  north-western  part  of  the  District  of  Altar 
along  the  boundary  line.  Its  delineation  had  already 
occupied  the  engineers  several  months.  In  six  weeks 
they  expected  to  finish  their  work,  which  would  end  at 
Hacienda  de  Santo  Domingo  near  Sonoita.  No  doubt 
there  are,  as  I  later  saw,  large  tracts  of  excellent  agri- 
cultural land  that  can  be  made  profitable  by  irrigation, 
but  the  speculation  seems  to  me  slightly  premature. 

At  Rancho  de  Macias,  on  November  5,  in  the  after- 
noon, a  splendid  meteor  was  observed.  The  engineers 
and  the  geologist  had  promised  to  dine  with  me  that  even- 
ing in  return  for  hospitality  that  I  had  enjoyed  at  their 
hands.  It  was  after  dusk,  but  not  quite  night  yet,  and 
I  was  unpacking  some  Norwegian  delicacies  which  were 
to  serve  as  my  piece  de  resistance,  when  suddenly  loud 
shouts  of  admiration  were  heard,  Mira,  mira!  no  mas!'' 
As  I  instinctively  turned  my  eyes  over  our  wagon  toward 
the  north  I  beheld  a  large  resplendent  orb,  with  a  long 
tail,  passing  slowly  and  majestically  over  the  heavens, 
roughly  speaking  from  west  to  east. 

The  color  was  bluish  white  at  the  start,  and  the  size 
appeared  as  one-sixth  the  size  of  the  full  moon;  the  un- 
usually long  tail  appeared  as  if  it  might  be  six  inches 
long,  if  seen  near  by.  To  our  eyes  the  meteor  moved 
so  slowly  that  it  might  easily  have  been  photographed. 
It  grew  smaller  and  smaller,  both  body  and  tail,  the 
latter  disappearing  first,  when  the  globe  itself,  now  yel- 
lowish red,  burst  into  two  pieces,  the  smaller  one  going 
upward.  Perhaps  a  quarter  of  the  horizon  was  passed. 
The  meteor  covered  fifty  degrees,  calculated  by  compass, 


i6o  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


during  the  time  seen  by  me.  I  caught  sight  of  it  at 
about  fifty  degrees  from  north  to  west,  and  it  disappeared 
in  the  north.  When  first  seen  it  was  a  httle  lower  than 
thirty  degrees  above  the  horizon,  travelhng  shghtly  up- 
ward, then  downward,  and  disappearing  from  eight  to 
ten  degrees  above  the  horizon,  which  from  our  vantage 
point  consisted  of  low  hills  toward  the  north.  It  was 
the  most  brilliant  spectacle  of  its  kind  that  I  have  seen. 
When  we  began  dinner  at  seven  o'clock,  Venus  was 
near  the  horizon,  and  we  all  agreed  that  the  meteor  had 
been  at  least  the  size  of  the  complete  light  of  Venus  at 
that  hour.  Later  I  learned  from  the  newspapers  that 
the  same  phenomenon  had  been  observed  at  Altar.  At 
Sonoita  it  appeared  to  Sr.  Isauro  Quiroz  as  if  "it  disap- 
peared twenty  meters  above  the  horizon,  first  sending 
one  piece  to  the  north-west  and  another  to  the  south- 
east, the  latter  dissolving  into  thirty  or  forty  red  and 
blue  sparks,  and  as  resplendent  as  the  sun."  Sr.  Bonil- 
las,  the  geologist,  some  time  before,  had  seen  one  of  the 
same  size  at  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  at  Nogales. 

At  a  distance  the  coloring  of  the  quite  imposing 
mountain  El  Durasno  as  well  as  of  the  near-by  Sierra  de 
la  Manteca,  appears  different  from  the  rest  of  the  moun- 
tain ranges,  having  a  slightly  light  brown  tinge.  But 
Sr.  Bonillas,  who  ascended  El  Durasno,  found  the  for- 
mation to  be  as  usual  and  brought  back  specimens  of 
tufa  and  rhyolite  with  much  crystalline  grain  in  it.  We 
managed  to  drive  our  wagon  on  a  side  track,  which  runs 
west  of  El  Durasno  past  some  temporarily  abandoned 
ranches.    Here  in  the  first  week  of  November,  at  an  ele- 


GOLD-BEARING  VEINS 


i6i 


vation  of  more  than  three  thousand  feet  among  shelter- 
ing hills,  were  several  plants  in  bloom,  and  much  of  the 
grass  nearest  to  the  soil  was  still  green.  The  cicadas 
sang  during  the  night. 

Water  is  found  here  in  a  small  arroyo  two  feet  below 
the  surface.  Also  a  water-hole  had  of  late  been  opened 
and  many  birds  were  about.  There  are  two  large  gold- 
bearing  veins  here.  Some  development  work  had  been 
done  on  one  two  years  ago,  and  the  other  one,  which 
seemed  to  be  less  known,  if  at  all,  appeared  very  inter- 
esting. We  camped  near  a  deserted  small  ranch.  At 
dusk  four  pigs  that  had  been  left  to  look  after  themselves 
came  along,  bound  for  the  corral,  inside  of  which  they 
walked  around  several  times  as  if  preparing  to  camp, 
but  they  finally  continued  their  way.  I  saw  them  moving 
around  in  circles  among  the  bushes,  apparently  unable 
to  reach  a  decision.  Clemente  thought  they  would  most 
likely  camp  in  the  deserted  house,  for  they  were  mansos 
(tame).  Every  three  days  the  pigs  go  to  drink;  my 
companions  calculated  that  their  search  for  water  would 
cover  at  least  thirty  miles  in  going  and  coming. 

After  some  forty  miles'  travel  over  the  gravelly,  un- 
fertile, and  somewhat  hilly  country  that  began  a  few 
miles  from  Arivaipa,  we  descended  gradually  into  the 
broad,  flat  valley  that  stretches  for  eighty  miles  from  the 
neighborhood  of  Comaru  in  a  west  by  north  direction  to 
Sonoita,  continuing  as  far  as  Agua  Salada.  Low  moun- 
tain ranges  surround  it  toward  the  north,  rising  to  some- 
what higher  elevations  from  La  Nariz,  westward,  under 
the  names  of  Sierra  de  la  Nariz,  Sierra  de  Santa  Rosa, 


i62  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


and  the  Ajo  range.  On  the  south  side  the  most  strik- 
ing mountain  range  is  Sierra  de  Cubabi.  This  great 
abra  or  valley,  like  the  others,  of  recent  gravel  formation 
and  rising  slightly  toward  the  base  of  the  mountains, 
contains  in  its  middle  course  a  fine  detritus  of  much  fer- 
tility. To  be  sure,  there  is  no  water  here  except  the  short 
river  of  Sonoita.  But  both  Mexicans  and  Indians  find  a 
profitable  field  for  dry  farming,  depending  solely  on  the 
few  showers  of  the  summer,  and  without  irrigating. 

The  first  summer  rancheria  we  passed,  which  be- 
longed to  Mexicans,  had  all  the  appearances  of  a  recent 
harvest  of  plenty,  both  of  maize  and  squashes,  and  we 
bought  superb  watermelons  here;  still  there  was  not  even 
a  dam,  drinking  water  being  hauled  from  Banori,  nine 
miles  distant  to  the  east.  When  the  harvest  is  gathered, 
this  ranch,  Bajio  del  Alcalde,  is  abandoned  until  next 
summer's  scanty  rains  bring  the  families  back.  There 
is  a  similar  temporary  occupation  of  Mexicans  at  Tem- 
porales,  farther  west,  and  there  are  three  summer 
rancherias  of  Papago  Indians  in  this  fertile  stretch  of 
country.  The  permanent  settlement  at  Sonoita  is  the 
most  important  occupation,  but  in  an  extensive  valley 
like  this  only  a  most  insignificant  part  of  the  soil  has 
yet  been  utilized.  Any  one  who  has  seen  the  marvellous 
changes  brought  about  in  the  arid  regions  of  the  Gila 
River  through  irrigation  will  easily  understand  the  un- 
usual opportunity  presented  here  for  agriculture  on  a 
large  scale.  The  middle  of  November  is  the  customary 
time  for  the  harvest,  which  consists  mainly  of  maize, 
beans,  and  different  melons. 


Papago  women  bringing  in  wood,  La  Nariz 


AGRICULTURAL  CHANCES  163 


There  should  be  no  great  difficulty  in  making  dams, 
and  still  less  in  sinking  artesian  wells.  I  was  told  of  a 
very  convenient  place  for  a  large  dam  in  the  low  range 
north  of  Temporales,  near  the  boundary  line,  three  or 
four  miles  away.  This  valley  averages  eight  or  ten 
miles  in  width;  a  few  miles  east  of  Sonoita  low  moun- 
tains draw  it  together,  but  below  that  settlement  it 
widens  again.  Only  the  middle  part,  at  a  width  of  one 
or  two  miles,  probably  more  at  certain  places,  is  ser- 
viceable. There  may  be  found  a  few  sandy  patches  in 
certain  localities,  but,  taking  it  all  in  all,  this  extensive 
stretch  of  tillable  soil  would  be  well  worth  investigating 
by  people  interested  in  agricultural  pursuits,  and  one 
may  expect  at  no  distant  date  the  reclamation  of  what 
is  now  practically  a  wilderness. 

At  the  first  Indian  rancheria  which  we  passed  here, 
we  found  that  some  of  the  inhabitants  had  just  returned 
from  a  salt  expedition  to  the  Salina  de  San  Jorge  on  the 
Gulf.  There  were  four  full  loads  of  salt  lying  scattered 
outside  of  one  of  the  houses.  The  salt  had  been  placed 
in  discarded  flour  sacks,  two  being  carried  inside  of  a 
packing  bag  of  mescal  fibre,  which  is  slung  over  the 
back  of  the  animal  and  constitutes  a  load.  Coarse  grass 
is  wrapped  around  each  sack  for  protection,  and  the  bag 
when  in  use  rests  on  two  rolls  of  grass,  which  serve  the 
Papago  as  pack  or  riding-saddle,  as  the  case  may  be. 

This  summer  rancheria  as  well  as  the  next,  called 
Represa  de  Enrique,  is  quite  populous.  At  the  latter 
place  the  Indians  possess  a  large  dam.  Our  arrival 
caused  much  excitement  at  first,  due  to  a  misapprehen- 


i64  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


sion,  the  Indians  taking  us  to  be  celadores  or  mounted 
inspectors  from  the  Sasabe  custom-house,  who  at  un- 
certain and  mostly  long  intervals  make  tours  along  the 
border  line.  There  are  two  hundred  miles  from  Sasabe 
to  the  Colorado  River,  but  the  inspectors  seldom  or 
never  go  beyond  Sonoita.  The  Indians  seemed  relieved 
at  being  correctly  informed  and  were  kind  and  gentle. 
They  no  doubt  understand  Spanish,  but  if  spoken  to 
would  answer  only  in  Papago.  Two  kinds  of  small 
wading  birds  were  noticed  at  the  dam  and  in  the  morn- 
ing up  to  noon  the  coyotes  would  fearlessly  come  to  drink. 
Some  Mexican  cowboys  passing  by  lassoed  one  and  then 
let  it  go  again. 

On  the  day  of  our  departure  we  passed  one  of  the 
fine  fields  which  the  Papagoes  have  here.  The  maize 
had  been  stored  away,  but  two  huge  heaps  of  squashes 
were  piled  on  the  field ;  near  one  of  them  sat  two  women, 
cutting  them  up  into  long  ribbons.  When  nearly  dry 
these  are  folded  up  in  convenient  bundles  and  kept  for 
winter  use.  There  was  only  one  small  jacal  in  the  mid- 
dle of  this  field  of  plenty,  and  thither  I  directed  my  steps 
to  buy  some  watermelons.  Here  also  was  a  woman  mak- 
ing squash  ribbons,  great  numbers  of  which  were  hang- 
ing, festoon-like,  to  dry  from  the  branches  of  a  tree 
outside. 

All  these  women  came  from  other  parts  of  the  country 
and  were  preparing  to  take  away  as  much  as  they  wished 
in  accordance  with  the  ancient  custom  which  prevails  at 
harvest  time  of  those  who  have  sharing  with  those  who 
are  less  fortunate.    If  a  Papago  is  known  to  have  been 


ANCIENT  HOSPITALITY 


165 


successful  in  his  harvest,  he  will  be  visited  by  friends, 
relatives,  and  many  others  who  have  no  claim  on  him 
other  than  the  fact  that  they  are  Papago;  they  come  to 
get  niari^  as  they  call  it,  many  remaining  with  him  for 
days.  He  is  bound  by  custom  to  give  presents  of  agri- 
cultural products  to  every  one  who  comes.  Some  year 
when  he  has  had  a  bad  crop,  he,  in  turn,  may  resort  to 
niari. 

At  the  locality  where  I  found  myself  at  present,  Indians 
will  in  the  season  come  for  this  purpose  from  as  far  away 
as  Bisani  and  Quitovac.  Nobody  is  refused,  for  the  cus- 
tom is  binding  and  absolute.  With  the  inroads  of  civili- 
zation and  the  accompanying  disintegration  of  the  tribe, 
many  families  are  unable  to  practice  agriculture  at  all; 
these  and  others,  at  harvest  time,  go  visiting  and  return 
with  their  donkeys  and  mules  laden  with  agricultural 
gifts.  Also  in  May,  when  the  wheat  is  being  cut,  the 
Papagoes  gather  from  many  parts  at  the  places  of  those 
who  have  anything;  they  help  in  harvesting,  but  receive 
rewards  even  if  they  do  not,  according  to  the  dictates  of 
ancient  hospitality.  Among  most  of  the  Papagoes  of 
Arizona  the  custom  of  niari  has  died  out,  though  these 
natives  are  always  hospitable  and  in  some  regions  place 
food  before  the  visitor  even  if  the  family  is  not  eating. 
''To  arrive  at  a  Papago  house  is  like  coming  to  one's  rela- 
tives," said  Alberto,  my  driver. 

The  woman  who  was  sitting  outside  of  the  hut  was  a 
widow  from  Quitovac  and  had  no  field.  She  had  been 
visiting  the  houses  of  the  rancheria  for  a  month,  helping 
the  families  a  little  by  grinding  corn  on  the  metate,  and 


i66  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


having  a  delightful  time  meeting  friends  and  enjoying 
the  gifts  of  autumn.  "When  she  decides  to  go  home  she 
will  receive  loads  of  provisions  of  the  new  year,"  remarked 
my  interpreter.  One  of  the  principal  men  of  Quitovac 
was  making  a  round  of  calls  for  the  same  purpose.  He 
had  only  a  small  field  himself,  for  at  Quitovac  there  is 
much  competition  with  the  Mexicans,  but,  as  an  Indian 
said,  *'he  has  only  to  sit  down;  all  is  coming  to  him." 

On  our  arrival  at  La  Nariz,  Thursday,  November 
II,  a  cold,  disagreeable  wind  from  south  south-west  was 
blowing  over  the  llano,  after  dark  changing  to  westerly, 
whereupon  it  suddenly  became  northerly  and  warmer,  the 
sky  clearing  of  some  threatening  clouds  in  the  south.  In 
the  small  hours  of  the  morning  I  awoke,  to  my  surprise, 
from  light  rain  falling  on  my  tent,  which  lasted  for  half 
an  hour.  I  had  made  friends  among  the  Indians  at  the 
last  place  visited,  and  their  compatriots  here  did  their 
best  to  be  obliging.  The  next  day  all  the  men  gathered 
outside  of  my  tent,  and  we  had  a  five  hours'  talk  on  matters 
of  interest  to  both  sides.  La  Nariz  is  an  Indian  rancheria, 
its  name  being  derived  from  a  near-by  mountain  which, 
from  a  certain  point  of  view,  presents  the  profile  of  a 
human  face  with  a  well-marked  nose. 

There  were  only  five  families  here  living  in  rectangular 
houses  of  ocotillo  poles  laid  horizontally  and  plastered 
with  mud.  I  found  them  pleasant  to  deal  with  and 
anxious  to  preserve  what  there  was  left  to  them  of  ancient 
beliefs  and  customs.  The  soul  of  this  endeavor  was  an 
elderly  medicine-man,  the  principal  man  of  the  place. 
Two  medicine  lodges  were  noticed  here,  one  of  them 


IN  THE  MEDICINE  LODGE  167 


having  had  to  be  abandoned  because  a  Papago  woman 
during  a  rainy  night  had  slept  there.  According  to  the 
notions  of  many  primitive  people,  she  was  at  the  time 
unclean,  and  became  the  cause  of  the  building  of  a  new 
lodge.  At  the  native  cemetery  many  makai  have  been 
interred  who  on  feast  occasions  are  invited  to  take  part 
with  the  living. 

The  old  man's  son  had  married  a  woman  who  was 
reputed  to  be  a  prophet — a  female  makai,  with  whom  the 
principal  men  from  Quitovac  and  other  localities  at  times 
consulted.  She  looked  about  thirty  years  old  and  had 
been  totally  blind  for  three  years.  According  to  her  own 
account,  she  had  previous  to  her  blindness  suffered  for  a 
year  from  violent  headache  and  pain  in  the  eyes.  I  have 
seen  Indians  made  blind  through  small-pox,  their  eyes 
covered  in  a  similar  way  with  large  whitish  spots  over  the 
iris.  In  the  house  of  this  couple  were  held  the  nightly 
meetings  that  usually  took  place  at  the  new  medicine 
lodge,  as  the  latter  had  been  temporarily  profaned  by 
the  interference  of  an  ox  that  had  browsed  and  torn  the 
straw  of  which  its  dome-shaped  roof  was  composed. 

I  proposed  to  my  Papago  interpreter,  Clemente,  that 
we  should  attend  that  evening,  as  nothing  worse  could 
happen  to  us  than  to  be  told  that  our  presence  was  not 
desired.  A  brisk  fire  was  burning  as  we  entered,  making 
the  interior  look  attractive  though  there  was  no  outlet  for 
the  smoke  except  through  the  door.  Several  mats  had 
been  spread  on  the  earthen  floor  around  the  fire  for  the 
participants  to  sit  upon.  Two  were  placed  for  Clemente 
and  me,  on  which  we  immediately  seated  ourselves,  thus 


i68  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


being  able  to  breathe  freer  in  the  lower  stratum  of  air.  As 
soon  as  all  were  seated,  including  members  of  the  family, 
the  old  medicine-man  took  the  word.  Without  further 
formality  he  began  to  tell  about  the  creation  of  the  world 
by  Elder  Brother  litoi  and  about  the  deluge.  After 
having  dwelt  on  these  themes  for  half  an  hour  or  more,  he 
asked  my  interpreter  if  I  believed  the  world  was  created 
as  the  Papago  beheve,  or  if  I  entertained  the  belief  of  the 
Mexicans.  Clemente  very  diplomatically  answered  that 
he  had  never  asked  me  of  my  beliefs.  The  lore  of  the 
tribe  arouses  strange  feelings  even  in  a  civilized  Papago, 
for  an  Indian  is  nothing  if  not  religious,  and  Clemente 
became  eloquent,  confessing  at  the  start  that  he,  having 
been  brought  up  among  Mexicans,  knew  little  of  his  own 
religion.  A  man  of  position  from  Quitovac,  on  a  visit  to 
La  Nariz,  expressed  his  opinion  that  surely  all  nations 
have  different  religions  and  different  gods,  and  the  Papa- 
goes  were  contented  to  have  theirs,  litoi. 

Among  the  Indians  who  were  serviceable  here  was  a 
man  of  slightly  darker  complexion  than  usual,  but  tall 
and  of  very  fine  appearance,  as  evidenced  in  his  name, 
Rainbow.  His  family  were  also  nice  and  in  his  house  I 
felt  at  home,  changing  films  for  my  camera  in  the  cool 
shade  of  the  dwelling  and  even  photographing  the  in- 
mates. With  him  I  visited  ancient  fortifications  on  the 
dark  looking  hill,  of  igneous  origin,  hardly  four  hundred 
feet  high,  which  gave  La  Nariz  its  name.  Where  the 
trenches  begin,  about  half-way  up,  there  is  a  large  stone  as 
high  as  a  man's  chest;  on  its  flat  top  were  small  artificial 
excavations  in  a  row,  each  looking  like  the  inside  of  a  cup, 


The  nose  of  the  rock  which  gave  La  Nariz  its  name 


EXCESSIVE  MEAT-EATING  169 


only  more  shallow.  On  the  rocks  were  pictographs  of 
the  same  kind  and  design  as  may  be  seen  elsewhere  in  the 
district,  as,  for  instance,  near  Caborca.  Turkey  vultures 
have  a  breeding  place  on  the  top;  according  to  my  guide, 
who  has  seen  the  young  here,  these  birds  make  no  nests. 

Inside  of  the  houses  of  the  Indians  in  these  parts,  I 
often  noticed  skins  of  the  peccary,  called  in  Mexico  java- 
lin,  the  meat  of  which  is  much  relished  by  the  Papagoes; 
also  skins  of  the  mountain-sheep,  deer,  and  lynx  were 
seen.  The  Papagoes  are  exceedingly  fond  of  meat.  One 
day  at  La  Nariz  a  young  steer  was  killed.  Generous 
parts  of  the  carcass  were  distributed  to  those  who  had 
helped  to  butcher  it,  and  everybody  in  the  afternoon, 
including  ourselves,  was  invited  to  come  and  ''eat  meat." 
The  meat  was  broiled  on  coals,  each  person  preparing 
his  portion  for  himself,  and  this  feasting  was  kept  up 
until  eleven  o'clock  that  night.  The  participants  actually 
arose  earlier  than  usual,  long  before  sunrise,  to  broil  more 
meat  and  continue  the  banquet.  Nothing  else  was  con- 
sumed, not  even  tortillas,  and  in  the  afternoon  very  little  of 
the  beast  was  left. 

At  the  so-called  Temporales,  where  Mexicans  from 
Sonoita  and  Quitovac  practise  dry  farming,  besides  the 
usual  forms  of  Indian  corn,  a  kind  of  maize  that  matures 
in  about  two  months  is  cultivated.  It  is  called  maiz  de  los 
Tumas,  is  white  in  color,  and  the  ears  are  small.  I  saw 
some  that  had  been  planted  in  the  beginning  of  August 
and  which  was  ripe  by  the  middle  of  October.  The  rains 
rarely  fall  here  before  August.  Frost  usually  appears  the 
ist  or  2d  of  November.    This  year  it  came  on  November 


I70  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


14,  and  sometimes  it  comes  as  early  as  the  middle  of 
October.  However,  frost  does  not  injure  maize  that  has 
reached  maturity. 

Before  proceeding  to  Sonoita,  which  is  only  twenty- 
three  miles  from  here,  I  made  a  trip  south  to  Quitovac, 
where  I  expected  to  find  mail-matter  awaiting  me.  There 
used  to  be  some  gold  mining  here,  but  the  houses  that 
make  up  the  only  street  are  now  mostly  abandoned.  Two 
or  three  Mexican  families  live  there  and  a  small  store  is 
maintained.  The  main  population  consists  of  Indians, 
who  live  all  around,  some  of  them  being  possessors  of  cattle 
and  a  few  having  small  fields.  It  grew  dark  before  we 
arrived,  and  while  we  were  arranging  our  camp  in  the 
quiet  evening  a  young  Indian  rode  up  like  a  whirlwind  as 
fast  as  his  horse  could  gallop,  stopping  as  suddenly  as  he 
had  appeared.  This  is  the  Mexican  way  of showing  off  " 
or  making  oneself  conspicuous,  and  was  distinctly  dis- 
couraging to  one  who  was  looking  for  primitive  people. 
My  two  kodaks  were  lying  on  the  ground  and  miraculously 
escaped  his  horse's  hoofs. 

The  principal  attraction  of  Quitovac  is  the  sufficiency 
of  water  which  at  all  times  oozes  forth  in  various  small 
springs  at  the  edge  of  the  low  mesa,  so-called.  The  latter 
is  a  deposit  of  calcareous  matter  which  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  wide  stretches  behind  the  houses  for  a  mile  and  a 
half  in  the  general  direction  from  north-west  to  south-east. 
Fossil  remains  have  been  found  here,  as  well  as  at  a  ranch, 
Represa,  five  leagues  east,  where  in  making  a  dam  some 
large  animal  was  encountered  five  feet  below  the  surface. 
Also  at  Banori  and  other  places  ''bones  of  giants"  have 


Height,  6.5  ctm. 


Height,  1 1.4  ctm. 

Ancient  pottery  vessels  of  the  Papagueria.    Excavated  by  Papago 
Indians  near  Fresnal,  Arizona 


THE  ANIMAL  OF  QUITO  VAC  171 

been  found  which  might  bear  palaeontological  investiga- 
tion. At  Quitovac  Mexicans  as  well  as  Indians  have  dug 
about  a  dozen  small  ditches,  the  longest  twenty  feet,  into 
the  calcareous  embankment  for  the  purpose  of  giving  the 
water  freer  egress.  Judging  from  these  cuts,  the  deposit, 
or  mesa,  rests  here  on  fine  sand  at  a  depth  of  from  six  to 
eight  feet  only  from  the  surface. 

The  Indians  have  a  fabulous  tradition  that  where  this 
whitish  deposit  now  rests  there  was  once  a  square  lake, 
in  the  middle  of  which  lived  a  big  animal  that  ate  people. 
What  kind  of  animal  it  was  is  uncertain  for,  as  my  inform- 
ant, the  oldest  man  there,  said,  ''those  who  knew  are 
dead."  It  was  able  to  smell  people  at  a  great  distance, 
and  when  travellers  came  that  way  they  never  returned  to 
their  homes,  for  they  were  eaten  by  it.  In  this  emergency 
the  Papago  finally  went  to  the  cave  where  litoi  lived  in  the 
Black  Mountain  (Pinacate)  and  asked  him  to  help  them, 
litoi  said  he  would  come  and  on  the  road  he  made  ready 
his  weapons  {vauk)^  which  were  of  hard  stone,  dark  in 
color,  and  very  large.  He  made  four  of  them,  and  they 
were  sharp  and  thin,  being  a  kind  of  dagger  or  javelin. 

''If  the  animal  kills  me,  you  shall  see  red  clouds  to- 
morrow, but  if  I  kill  the  animal,  you  shall  see  white 
clouds,"  Elder  Brother  said  as  he  entered  the  fray.  The 
animal  swallowed  him,  but  he  cut  out  its  heart  and  made 
his  way  out  through  its  flesh,  and  it  sank  to  the  bottom. 
Next  day  white  clouds  appeared  around  the  lake,  one  at 
each  corner  of  the  world,  and  the  people  understood  that 
the  animal  had  been  killed.  Ever  since  the  mesa  has  re- 
mained white,  like  the  clouds. 


172  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


The  weapons  mentioned  in  this  story  were  probably 
made  from  obsidian  which  still  serves  as  material  for  the 
making  of  arrow-points  for  ceremonial  use.  The  obsidian 
is  worked  with  a  bone. 

My  camp  was  on  the  small  plain  on  which  the  medi- 
cine lodge  is  situated,  near  an  unusually  well-grown  mez- 
quite  tree,  the  shade  of  which  is  enjoyed  by  participants 
in  the  feasts  that  are  given.  In  the  evening  spent  here 
I  could  hear  talking  from  the  medicine  lodge,  but  the 
old  man,  Miguel,  who  is  in  charge,  complained  much  of 
the  indifference  of  his  countrymen,  the  younger  genera- 
tion never  coming  any  more  to  the  counsel  house.  The 
Indians  here,  in  fact,  are  much  spoiled  by  Mexicans  and 
mescal  brandy,  and  present  to-day  little  of  interest  to  the 
investigator.  The  same  remark  applies  to  the  Indians 
of  Sonoita,  though  in  a  lesser  degree.  A  few,  just  a  few, 
of  the  Mexicans  exploit  the  Indians  for  their  own  pur- 
poses. It  happens  even  that  they  ingratiate  themselves  by 
giving  good  advice — good  for  their  own  pockets — charg- 
ing the  confiding  Indian  for  the  advice.  On  the  other 
hand,  it  must  be  said  that  the  Papagoes  of  Sonora  are 
in  general  treated  with  much  more  consideration  than  in 
Arizona.  The  Mexicans  look  upon  them  more  as  their 
equals,  and  the  result  is  that  the  so-called  civilized  Indian 
is  noticeably  more  polite  in  his  manners  in  Sonora  than 
in  Arizona. 

The  great  annual  harvest  feast  for  which  Quitovac  is 
famous,  and  to  which  people  congregate  from  all  parts  of 
the  Papagueria,  is  still  kept  up.  It  is  performed  in  the 
month  of  August  on  a  stretch  of  level  ground  half  a  mile 


THE  QUITO  VAC  FESTIVAL  173 

distant  from  the  lodge.  Mexicans  who  have  seen  it  de- 
scribe it  as  a  gorgeous  affair.  Its  first  object  is  rain,  and 
then  the  preservation  of  good  relations  with  litoi,  Elder 
Brother  and  Creator.  The  sacred  paraphernalia  are  after- 
ward put  away  in  some  distant  cave.  The  feast  is  already 
on  the  decline  and  as  soon  as  the  old  man  in  charge  at 
present  dies,  it  will  no  doubt  pass  into  oblivion. 


CHAPTER  XI 


SONOITA,  AN  OASIS  OF  THE  DESERT— ITS  PLEASANT  POPULATION 
—LESSONS  OF  THE  SONOITA  RIVER— ANTIQUITIES— A  LUNAR 
RAINBOW— PRIMITIVE  GOLD  MINING— PREVALENCE  OF  HYDRO- 
PHOBIA—UNUSUAL REFRACTION  OF  SUNLIGHT 

SoNOiTA  is  a  larger  place  than  Quitovac  and  of  more 
importance.  This  settlement,  a  short  day's  distance  from 
the  latter,  has  the  unique  distinction  of  being  situated  on 
a  small  river,  which,  making  its  origin  here,  runs  for  a 
few  miles  south-west  before  disappearing  in  the  desert. 
It  is  called  the  Sonoita  River  and  in  reality  originates  far 
from  there  in  Arizona,  near  Cajilon,  north  of  the  Quijotoa 
Range,  gathering  also  water  from  the  Santa  Rosa  valley 
and  the  west  side  of  the  Baboquivari  Range.  These  nearly 
always  dry  watercourses  unite  and  pass  La  Nariz  where, 
after  making  a  turn,  the  ^^river"  takes  a  curious  short 
course  through  hard  rock  without  sand  and  popularly 
called  a  harrancoy  perhaps  ten  feet  deep  and  less  than 
double  that  wide.  From  there  to  Sonoita  the  casual  ob- 
server would  probably  remain  ignorant  of  the  greater  part 
of  its  course  until  it  plunges  forth  from  underneath  an 
accumulation  of  gravelly  debris  as  a  small  sparkling 
stream,  twelve  feet  wide  and  one  foot  deep,  which  pro- 
duces a  veritable  oasis  in  the  desert.  In  this  stream  are 
found  two  species  of  the  small  fish  popularly  called  min- 
nows. One,  algansea  tincellay  which  is  six  inches  long,  is 
common  in  the  lakes  about  the  City  of  Mexico  and  other 

174 


THE  FIRST  WHITES  IN  SONOITA 


waters  of  that  republic.  The  other,  cyprinodon  macu- 
larius,  which  grows  only  to  a  length  of  two  and  a  half 
inches,  is  common  in  the  waters  of  the  desert  from 
Nevada  to  Sonora. 

The  first  white  man  to  arrive  here  was  the  enterprising 
Jesuit,  Father  Kino,  in  the  year  1698.  A  mission  was, 
however,  not  established  here  until  about  fifty  years  later, 
and  it  lasted  but  a  short  time,  as  it  was  destroyed  during 
the  Pima  revolt,  1751.  The  present  inhabitants  of  Sono- 
ita  know  little  or  nothing  about  this.  Ruins  of  the  small 
church  may  be  observed  on  approaching  Sonoita  from  the 
east,  in  the  shape  of  two  low,  rather  insignificant,  mounds, 
the  smaller  of  which  lies  a  short  distance  to  the  north  of 
the  other.  Mr.  M.  G.  Levy,  of  Ajo,  Arizona,  conceived 
the  idea  that  gold  might  have  been  stored  here,  which  the 
priests  in  early  times  could  easily  have  secured  from  the 
Indians  who  then  knew  nothing  of  its  value.  He  secured 
permission  to  excavate  at  the  site  in  1907.  The  founda- 
tions were  partly  cleared,  showing  thick  walls  made  from 
adobe.  The  floor  was  of  hard,  whitish  earth.  Besides  a 
few  skeletons,  one  of  them  with  an  abundance  of  blond 
hair,  the  only  thing  brought  to  light  was  a  small  stone  disk 
which  had  three  colors  and  which  was  of  unknown  use. 
An  old  Indian  woman,  who  lives  on  the  American  side  of 
the  boundary  line,  declares  that  the  cattle  and  horses  which 
she  owns  have  descended  from  those  that  the  Papagoes 
took  from  the  monks.  According  to  Papago  tradition, 
the  Indians  killed  the  priest  or  priests,  burned  the  church 
and  the  convent,  and  took  possession  of  what  was  of 
value  to  them,  chief  of  which  were,  of  course,  the  domestic 


176  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


animals.  This  is  evidently  in  accordance  with  facts,  and 
among  the  ruined  walls  the  occurrence  of  coal  is  noticeable. 

The  present  Mexican  settlement  of  Sonoita  dates 
only  from  the  middle  of  the  last  century,  about  the  time 
of  the  discovery  of  gold  in  California,  the  first  settlers 
having  come  from  Zoni.  There  are  over  a  hundred  Mexi- 
cans all  told  in  the  oasis  to-day,  making  an  easy  living  by 
irrigating  their  patches  of  field,  though  little  is  sold,  for 
there  is  no  market  for  their  products.  Mineral  salts,  which 
are  included  in  the  Spanish  word  salitrey  occur  at  certain 
places,  giving  the  agriculturist  some  trouble;  its  chief 
constituent  is  evidently  carbonate  of  soda.  Nevertheless 
the  range  of  food  plants  grown  here,  which  includes 
wheat,  barley,  oats,  potatoes,  and  onions,  though  raised  on 
a  small  scale,  is  wide.  Lima  trees  give  excellent  fruit  as 
also  do  granadas,  peach,  and  fig  trees.  Maize  and  beans 
yield  two  crops  a  year,  and  peas,  peanuts,  and  tomatoes 
propagate  themselves  without  being  planted ;  sugar-cane, 
grapes,  melons,  and  sweet  potatoes  do  well,  and  dates 
ripen.  Alfalfa  is  also  raised.  A  specialty  of  the  place  is 
honey  which  is  abundant  and  cheap;  it  is  often  used  in- 
stead of  sugar,  and  a  kind  of  dulce  is  made  from  it. 

A  considerable  number  of  Indians — not  quite  a  hun- 
dred all  told — who  also  have  nice  fields  and  water  enough 
for  irrigation,  live  about  a  mile  lower  down.  They  are 
contented  and  generally  hold  their  own  with  the  Mexi- 
cans. With  many  of  the  Indian  children  it  was  noticeable 
that  the  four  upper  front  teeth  were  chocolate-colored,  no 
doubt  on  account  of  the  water.  It  appears  that  the 
coloring  does  not  take  place  until  the  second  teeth  come. 


A  CHARMING  PLACE 


177 


Some  of  the  Mexican  children  were  disfigured  in  the 
same  way. 

On  my  first  day  spent  here,  toward  the  end  of  Novem- 
ber, a  pleasantly  warm,  gentle  breeze  blew  from  the  south- 
west, and  there  was  a  delightful  southern  atmosphere, 
full  of  sunshine,  peace,  and  contentment,  about  the  place. 
I  had  occasion  to  know  Sonoita  well,  for  it  became  in  a 
way  my  head-quarters  for  half  a  year,  while  making 
expeditions  into  the  surrounding  district  and  westward  as 
far  as  the  Colorado  River.  The  inhabitants  are  kind,  and 
theft  and  murder  are  unknown;  this  is  largely  character- 
istic of  the  entire  north-western  corner  of  Sonora,  called 
the  District  of  Altar.  The  towns  of  Altar  and  Caborca 
are  reputed  also  to  be  remarkably  free  from  bad  men. 
Mexican  authority  in  Sonoita  is  represented  by  a  comisario, 
who  settles  any  dispute  that  may  arise.  He  also  marries 
people,  for  there  is  no  priest  living  west  or  south  of  far- 
away Altar. 

A  young  comisario,  recently  arrived,  arrested  people 
twice  for  ridiculous  offences;  in  one  of  them,  for  instance, 
a  man  would  not  allow  his  fifteen  or  sixteen  year  old 
daughter  to  marry.  There  is  evidently  little  need  of  his  ac- 
tivities and  he  probably  felt  that  he  had  to  do  something 
to  assert  his  authority.  Sonoita  does  not  boast  of  any 
prison,  so  any  one  who  may  be  arrested  has  to  be  tied  to 
a  mezquite  tree.  When  people  are  ill,  they  are  brought 
to  the  centre  of  the  scattered  population;  the  patient  is 
received  in  one  of  the  houses,  and  the  female  part  of  the 
population  takes  turns  in  caring  for  him  or  her,  even 
watching  during  the  night.    Many  kinds  of  native  reme- 


178  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


dies  are  used  and  food  is  prepared.  On  one  occasion 
voluntary  subscriptions  were  made  to  defray  expenses.  I 
was  not  asked  to  contribute,  though  my  advice  in  regard 
to  the  disease  was  sought.  It  was  a  sad  case  of  insanity 
which  grew  worse  instead  of  better,  so  people  finally  lost 
their  interest  in  what  appeared  to  them  a  hopeless  con- 
dition. On  another  occasion,  when  a  poor  Papago  girl 
was  in  extreme  distress,  the  house  where  she  had  been 
taken  was  for  several  days  filled  with  sympathetic  women 
solicitous  for  her  health. 

Japanese  have  been  known,  though  rarely,  to  start 
from  Sonoita  westward  through  the  desert,  bound,  proba- 
bly, for  the  Colorado  River.  The  people  of  Sonoita  were 
enthusiastic  in  describing  the  pluck  of  these  travellers; 
without  blankets  and  with  few  provisions  they  walked 
better  than  horses,  carrying  water  in  a  Standard  Oil  can 
which  hung  from  a  pole,  the  ends  of  which  rested  on  the 
shoulders  of  two  men.  When  asking  for  information 
about  the  right  way,  they  showed  much  keenness  in  under- 
standing the  right  directions. 

My  camp  was  pitched  near  the  house  of  Sr.  Isauro 
Quiroz,  the  most  important  citizen  of  Sonoita  and  a  man 
of  some  reading.  Both  he  and  his  family  delighted  in 
showing  me  hospitality  and  attentions;  he  accompanied 
me  to  the  place  in  which  I  was  most  interested  here,  the 
beginning  of  the  Sonoita  River.  Stone  artifacts  had  been 
found  there  many  feet  below  the  surface.  The  river  has 
receded  of  late  years  and  brought  about  some  changes 
in  the  landscape.  Formerly  there  existed  a  series  of 
cienegas  (swamps)  immediately  above  the  rise  of  the  river. 


CHANGES  IN  SONOITA  RIVER 


extending  back  for  about  three  miles.  They  were  in 
reaHty  the  river  itself  which,  during  its  capricious  sub- 
terranean course,  found  itself  obstructed  at  Sonoita  and 
spread  out  into  swamps.  The  water  filtered  through  at 
one  place  and  ran  in  a  narrow  channel  which  it  cut 
through  the  gravelly,  clayish  deposit,  thus  forming  the 
beginning  of  the  river  which  flows  on  after  this  without 
embankments. 

During  the  night  of  August  6,  1891,  after  a  heavy  rain, 
the  water  carried  off  a  hard  barrier,  about  twenty  meters 
wide,  which  had  been  retaining  the  swamps,  and  widened 
the  channel,  making  it  recede  about  a  kilometer.  The 
swamps  dried  up  in  three  years,  but  the  surface  is  under- 
mined in  places  and  a  man  and  his  horse  are  said  to  have 
inadvertently  fallen  into  a  cavity  caused  by  the  former 
action  of  the  water.  Where  there  had  been  before  only  a 
llano,  a  forest  of  mezquite  trees  sprang  up,  which  is  visible 
to  any  one  who  enters  Sonoita  from  the  east.  An  inter- 
esting circumstance  in  the  receding  of  the  river  and  the 
widening  of  its  channel  is  that  it  brought  to  light  aboriginal 
artifacts,  mostly  consisting  in  metates  (grinding  stones) 
and  their  attendant  rubbing  stones.  Also  many  sea-shells 
were  found  there,  which  were  used  as  ornaments  by  the 
primitive  people. 

I  found  this  channel  to  be  about  two  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  broad  and  from  eighteen  to  twenty  feet  deep.  The 
objects  that  had  been  discovered  here  could  no  longer  be 
accounted  for,  one  metate  only  was  left  and  it  was  still 
lying  at  the  bottom.  According  to  the  location  of  the 
find,  as  pointed  out  to  me  by  Sr.  Quiroz,  the  artifacts  must 


i8o  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


have  been  about  twenty  feet  below  the  surface.  I  found  a 
metate  of  a  light-colored  stone  imbedded  in  the  embank- 
ment twelve  feet  below  the  surface,  and  also  took  along 
the  other  one  that  was  lying  at  the  bottom  of  the  channel. 
Neither  of  them  is  quite  perfect;  they  have  been  much 
used,  but  do  not  differ  materially  from  those  seen  among 
the  Indians  of  to-day.  In  a  climate  as  dry  as  this,  where 
rain-water  has  little  chance,  except  perhaps  in  the  month 
of  August,  of  bringing  about  changes  by  removing  and 
depositing  the  earth,  it  would  seem  as  if  thousands  of 
years  would  be  needed  to  build  up  a  stratum  of  such 
thickness  and  extent,  and  one  is  led  to  the  deduction  that 
the  climate  was  formerly  less  dry  than  at  present. 

From  the  Indians  and  Mexicans  of  Sonoita  I  gathered 
several  ancient  stone  artifacts  such  as  axes,  lance  and 
arrow  points,  which  undoubtedly  belonged  to  predecessors 
of  the  Papago,  having  the  same  general  character  as  the 
rest  of  the  prehistoric  remains  found  in  the  Papagueria 
and  already  alluded  to.  The  Indians  of  the  present  day 
know  nothing  about  them,  but  the  magic  qualities  attrib- 
uted to  them  are  used  for  healing  purposes.  To  this  end 
the  lance  or  arrow  points  are  left  in  water,  which  after- 
ward is  taken  internally  and  applied  externally,  while  the 
medicine-man  waves  the  stone  object  over  the  patient, 
holding  it  by  a  string  attached  to  it,  and  at  the  same 
time  he  blows  his  breath  over  the  sick  man  repeatedly. 

On  Friday  evening,  November  26,  I  saw  for  the  first 
time  a  lunar  rainbow.  At  six  o'clock  we  had  a  light 
shower  of  rain,  which  soon  ceased.  The  moon,  which 
would  be  full  the  following  day,  shone  and  the  sky  above 


The  channel  at  the  beginning  of  Sonuita  River 


RAINBOW  OF  THE  MOON  i8i 


us  was  clear,  but  moderate  winds  from  the  south  brought 
fine  douches  of  rain  which  would  often  stop  and  then 
recommence,  seemingly  more  laden  with  moisture  each 
time.  The  south-west  remained  cloudy  and  dark,  and 
on  the  western  sky  there  appeared  a  large  and  very  dis- 
tinct arc,  caused  by  the  moon.  It  was  very  light  in  color, 
at  first  sight  appearing  almost  white,  but  a  more  careful 
examination  revealed  colors.  At  its  first  appearance  it 
was  absolutely  perfect,  and  I  tried  a  quick  photograph 
of  it.  It  seemed  to  be  about  thirty  degrees  above  the 
horizon  and  included  one-fifth  of  it.  During  the  half 
hour  it  was  seen,  it  faded  away  several  times,  but  for  many 
moments  it  was  very  distinct,  and  once  the  northern  end 
of  the  arc  was  quite  rich  in  colors — even  astonishingly  so. 
The  red  formed  the  exterior  ring  of  the  rainbow.  The 
curve  was  not  an  arc  of  a  circle  but  a  parabola.  On 
account  of  the  light  showers  that  came  and  went  all  the 
time,  I  could  not  keep  the  camera  outside,  and  every  time 
I  went  into  my  tent  to  get  it,  the  arc  would  be  faint  when 
I  came  out  again.  The  Mexican  engineers,  whose  camp 
I  had  again  encountered  here,  had  also  never  seen  a  lunar 
arc  before.  One  of  them,  as  he  came  riding  back  from 
the  east  at  dusk,  had  observed  that  the  moon  was  covered 
by  a  cloud  and  that  as  soon  as  it  cleared  away  the  rain- 
bow appeared.  At  first  he  saw  only  the  left,  lower  part 
of  the  arc.  It  appeared  to  him  as  being  thirty  degrees  or 
perhaps  thirty-five  degrees  above  the  horizon  and  having 
a  width  of  one-quarter  of  the  horizon. 

I  was  desirous  of  starting  on  an  expedition  to  explore 
the  Pinacate  region  and  the  desert  west  of  there  as  far  as 


i82  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


the  Colorado  River.  The  preparations,  however,  had  to 
proceed  slowly,  because  men  and  animals  could  only  be 
procured  with  difficulty,  and  caution  in  the  selection, 
especially  of  the  men,  was  imperative.  It  became  nec- 
essary for  my  purpose  to  return  to  Quitovac  from  where 
I  made  a  visit  to  San  Antonio,  formerly  a  gold  mine, 
said  to  have  been  discovered  in  183 1  by  a  Papago 
Indian.  In  the  same  year  the  placer  mines  of  Quitovac 
were  found,  and  at  about  the  same  time  also  those  of 
Sonoita. 

In  the  western  part  of  the  District  of  Altar  active 
mining  of  gold,  since  the  recent  and  probably  temporary 
abandonment  of  the  Sierra  Pinta  and  Juarez  mines,  is 
not  pursued  to  any  great  extent.  As  for  the  gold  placer 
mines  found  in  that  part  of  the  country,  silence,  with  very 
few  exceptions,  reigns  over  them.  The  District  of  Altar 
is  richly  mineralized  and  there  is  no  reason  that  the  western 
part  should  be  less  so.  Sixty-one  years  ago  J.  F.  Velasco, 
who  represented  government  authority  in  the  gold-fields, 
writes:  Suffice  it  to  say  that  from  the  River  Fuerte 
de  Montes  Claros,  which  is  the  dividing  line  between  this 
Department  and  that  of  Sinaloa,  to  the  Gila  River  in  the 
north,  in  the  north-west  to  the  Colorado  River,  and  in  the 
east  to  the  Sierra  Madre,  there  is  not  a  town  or  a  ranch 
which  has  not  at  least  one  vein  of  gold,  silver,  lead, 
or  copper.  Almost  the  same  is  true  of  the  placers, 
although  not  so  generally."  Of  the  placer  mines  of 
Cieneguilla,  discovered  in  1779,  he  relates  that  ''on  the 
surface  gold  was  gathered  in  the  same  way  that  fowls 
pick  up  corn." 


PAPAGO  GOLD  MINERS  183 

The  surface  merely  of  the  different  placers  has  been 
exhausted,  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  in  the  district  a  con- 
siderable extent  of  country  is  left  which  will  some  day  be 
scientifically  exploited.  The  gold  mines  are  of  the  bo- 
nanza type  and,  although  the  pockets  are  remarkably  rich, 
I  feel  incompetent  to  give  an  opinion  as  to  whether  really 
great  mines  would  be  found  there.  The  western  desert 
country  of  Altar  has  been  little  explored  by  the  prospector, 
and  it  would  not  be  advisable  to  venture  a  prophecy  at 
this  time. 

Almost  any  day  primitive  mining  by  the  Papago  may 
be  observed  in  the  vicinity  of  Quitovac,  and  it  is  carried 
on  mostly  by  women.  The  auriferous  gravel,  which  is 
often  cemented  together  so  as  to  be  quite  hard,  is  first 
crushed ;  the  gold  is  next  separated  without  water  by  the 
skilled  manipulation  of  the  wooden  gold  pan,  the  hatea, 
the  operator  lifting  it  above  his  head  and  letting  its  con- 
tents fall  on  an  extended  mat  or  skin.  Having  in  this 
way  separated  the  coarser  particles,  he  treats  the  rest  in 
the  batea  as  if  he  were  operating  with  water.  The  Ind- 
ians have  also  the  ordinary  '^dry  washing"  machines  which 
came  originally  from  Hungary  in  1851  and  which  may 
be  seen  in  operation  on  those  placers  that  are  still  being 
worked  in  the  District  of  Altar. 

The  Papago  before  the  advent  of  the  Spaniard  did 
not  know  the  use  of  gold  and  has  no  name  for  it  other 
than  6/0,  the  native  rendering  of  the  Spanish  oro.  He  is 
in  our  day,  however,  a  keen  miner  and  prospector  when- 
ever he  chooses  to  go  in  for  mining  pursuits.  Up  to  late 
years  the  Papagoes  brought  nuggets  of  gold  to  Tucson, 


i84  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


Arizona,  in  exchange  for  commodities,  and  there  is  Httle 
doubt  that  a  few  of  them  know  of  hidden  values,  but 
they  are  reluctant  to  tell  any  outsider  of  such  things, 
showing  more  or  less  the  almost  universal  belief  of  Mexi- 
can Indians  that  if  they  divulge  mineral  secrets  they  will 
die.  One  Indian  is  reputed  to  know  of  a  wonderful 
silver  mine,  and  although  an  American  married  his  daugh- 
ter, according  to  rumor  in  order  to  gain  knowledge  of 
the  mine,  his  mouth  still  remains  as  closed  as  that  of  a 
freemason. 

In  connection  with  the  gold  mining  it  may  be  of  interest 
to  note  the  prevalence  of  hydrophobia  around  the  gold- 
fields  of  that  Western  country;  according  to  all  accounts,  it 
once  made  considerable  havoc  among  dogs,  cattle,  and  don- 
keys, and  has  remained  endemic  in  certain  wild  animals, 
as  the  coyote,  the  gray  fox,  and  the  small  striped  skunk. 
The  population  is  now  scarce  and  scattered,  but  instances 
of  deaths  from  hydrophobia  have  been  known  in  more 
recent  times,  though  no  case  came  under  my  immediate 
observation.  Many  stories  are  being  told  of  how  coyotes 
and  wild  foxes  occasionally  have  bitten  people  or  cattle. 
Where  rabies  is  so  common,  one  may  be  certain  that  a 
remedy  has  also  been  found,  and  especially  in  a  country 
like  Mexico  with  countless  medicinal  herbs  and  the  strong 
inclination  of  the  natives  toward  their  use.  On  the  Al- 
tar River,  in  Oquitoa,  Altar,  and,  above  all,  in  Pitiquito, 
live  curanderosy  who  make  a  specialty  of  curing  rabies, 
the  secret  being  confined  mainly  to  one  family.  In  the 
western  part  of  the  Altar  District  it  is  the  Indians  who  are 
supposed  to  know  the  secret  of  curing  this  disease,  and 


Papago  woman  "dry  washing  '  gold  near  (Juitovac 


A  LONG  SUNRISE 


185 


Mexicans  when  bitten  go  to  them  and  are,  according  to 
their  own  statements,  cured.  Having  been  a  long  time 
among  the  Papago,  the  secret  of  the  Indians  was  confided 
to  me,  and  I  have  reason  to  think  that  the  remedy,  which 
is  extremely  simple,  may  be  of  value.  On  some  future 
occasion  I  shall  make  a  communication  on  the  subject  in 
a  scientific  journal.  Hydrophobia  is  called  in  Papago 
notakiky  derived  from  notak,  crazy,  mad. 

At  Quitovac,  on  Thursday  morning,  December  9,  sun- 
shine was  observed  twenty-seven  minutes  before  sunrise. 
It  was  accompanied  by  an  intense  glow  in  the  east,  tana- 
ger  red  and  orange  in  color,  enveloping  the  nimbus  and 
other  clouds  which  floated  over  the  horizon,  though  leav- 
ing a  clear  space  of  ten  or  twelve  degrees  above  the  latter. 
There  was  a  fringe  of  very  small  clouds  hanging  down 
from  the  large  ones  which  resembled  falling  rain.  To- 
ward the  west  and  in  other  directions  the  horizon  was 
fairly  clear,  but  the  sky  was  rather  overcast  and  I  was 
awakened  by  a  few  drops  of  rain  falling  on  my  tent. 

The  unusual  glow  attracted  my  attention.  It  was 
then  6.25  A.  M.,  and  I  found  the  hill-tops  all  in  sunshine, 
just  as  if  the  sun  were  rising.  The  light  on  the  summits, 
first  rose  and  then  white,  gradually  crept  down  on  the  llano 
and  shone  in  my  tent  ten  minutes  later,  somewhat  faintly, 
to  be  sure,  but  absolutely  distinct.  It  slowly  disappeared 
except  on  the  very  tops  of  the  low  ranges.  By  degrees 
also  the  intense  reddish  light  in  the  east  grew  orange  and 
fainter,  while  the  clear  space  little  by  little  became  covered 
with  stratus  clouds,  except  close  to  the  horizon,  above 
which  the  sun  began  to  appear  at  6.52  and  then  soon  disap- 


i86  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


peared  behind  the  clouds.  The  color  was  at  this  time 
very  faint.  The  phenomenon  attracted  attention  even 
among  the  few  Mexicans  living  here,  one  of  them  who 
rose  at  daybreak  noticing  unusual  colors. 


CHAPTER  XII 


AREAS  OF  VEGETATION— FITTING  OUT  AN  EXPEDITION  UNDER 
DIFFICULTIES— AN  OLD  MEDICINE-MAN  ENROLLED  AS  A  MEM- 
BER—GUADALUPE 

After  having  secured  several  good  animals  for  my  in- 
tended expedition,  and  also  engaged  the  services  of  a 
middle-aged  useful  Indian  called  Guadalupe,  as  well  as 
his  three  donkeys,  I  returned  to  Sonoita.  This  time  the 
whole  outfit  was  sent  on  to  Temporales,  while  I,  accom- 
panied by  Guadalupe,  made  a  slight  detour  to  see  a  cave 
in  the  Sierra  de  Cubabi,  which  was  said  to  contain  pic- 
tographs.  Southward  from  the  south-east  point  of  this 
sierra  runs  the  almost  invisible  divide  which  separates 
the  waters  that  run  to  Quitovac  and  Sonoita.  In  travel- 
ling northward  from  Quitovac  toward  this  low  divide  it  is 
striking  to  see  how  much  higher  the  detritus,  that  runs 
down  from  the  mountains  in  a  slanting,  straight  surface 
line,  is  on  the  west  side  of  the  abra  than  on  the  east  side. 
The  cave  was  shallow  and  small  and  the  drawings,  well 
pecked  on  the  inner  wall,  represented  mainly  whirlwind 
designs.  A  wagon  road  passes  near  by,  following  the  base 
of  the  sierra ;  it  is  heavy,  but  shortens  the  distance  some 
fifteen  miles  between  Quitovac  and  Sonoita  and  is,  there- 
fore, preferable  for  those  who  travel  with  light  loads. 

From  here  we  cut  across  the  bush,  to  use  an  Australian 

expression,  and  proceeding  northward  direct  for  the  Tem- 

187 


i88  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 

porales,  across  the  broad  valley  between  Sierra  de  Cubabi 
and  Sierra  de  Santa  Rosa,  here  more  than  twelve  miles 
wide,  I  was  able  to  get  an  instructive  idea  of  the  distri- 
bution of  vegetation.  We  first  passed  through  a  forest  of 
sahuaro  that  thrives  on  the  gravelly  detritus  along  the 
bases  of  the  nude  sierras.  Large  clusters  of  choyas  were 
prominent  in  the  landscape,  and  became  more  conspicu- 
ous as  we  advanced,  especially  the  very  spiny  kind  (opuntia 
fulgida).  Graceful  and  rounded  in  shape  and  densely 
covered  with  long  white  and  shining  spines,  these  extraor- 
dinary cacti  presented  a  weird  but  attractive  sight  in  the 
late  afternoon  sun.  My  dog  experienced  much  trouble 
from  the  loose  spiny  joints  that  were  lying  about  and 
which  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  avoid.  The  formidable 
spines  would  cling  to  his  feet  and,  as  is  the  manner  of  dogs 
of  that  country,  he  would  bravely  set  to  work  to  bite  them 
off,  filling  his  bleeding  mouth  with  the  easily  detached 
spines.    We  had  to  stop  again  and  again  to  help  him. 

In  the  basins  or  flat  depressions  of  the  cactus  region 
grass  was  growing  and  here  is  the  home  of  the  mule-deer. 
The  useful  barrel  cactus  was  seen  to  have  fruit,  yellow  in 
color  and  ripe,  growing  on  top  of  the  plant  in  two  con- 
centric circles,  like  small,  upright  bananas.  These  as  well 
as  the  fruit  of  the  choya,  also  in  season  now,  the  middle 
of  December,  are  eaten  by  the  Papago.  Both  kinds  are 
first  boiled;  they  are  acid,  but  agreeable  to  the  Indian 
palate.  We  followed  the  detritus  for  seven  miles,  descend- 
ing almost  imperceptibly  toward  the  middle  of  the  valley. 

Next  we  passed  into  the  greasewood  region,  where  the 
mule-deer  does  not  appear,  and  soon  we  reached  the  fertile 


PREPARATIONS  FOR  AN  EXPEDITION  189 


alluvial  plains  along  the  more  or  less  visible  river-course 
of  the  middle  valley,  where  mezquite  and  palo  fierro  trees 
may  be  seen  here  and  there.  As  one  turns  and  travels 
westward  to  Sonoita,  there  may  be  observed  on  either  side 
the  slope  of  detritus  which  presents  a  band  of  bright  green 
coloring,  due  to  the  forest  of  sahuaro  along  the  bases  of 
the  weather-worn  mountain  ranges.  Dark  green  with  a 
tinge  of  yellow,  betraying  the  presence  of  the  greasewood, 
is  the  predominant  color  in  the  rest  of  the  valley. 

The  day  after  my  return  to  Sonoita,  December  18,  the 
sun  was  hidden  from  view  during  the  entire  day.  It  had 
quite  a  depressing  effect;  the  weather  was  cold  and 
gloomy,  and  in  the  night  the  thermometer  registered 
19°  F.,  the  lowest  temperature  that  I  had  as  yet  recorded. 
During  the  winter  in  this  region  there  are  many  cloudy 
days,  though  usually  the  sun  comes  out  warm  and  pleasant 
in  the  afternoon.  Light  snowfalls  on  the  tops  of  the  higher 
mountain  ranges  were  afterward  reported;  according  to 
trustworthy  authority,  in  1899  the  snow  was  even  four  or 
five  inches  deep. 

The  essential  part  of  my  outfit,  including  certain  pro- 
visions, had  already  been  provided  for  in  the  United  States 
and  Hermosillo,  but  as  I  always  depend  largely  upon  the 
products  of  the  country  in  which  I  travel,  there  were  many 
things  needed  before  I  could  start  from  Sonoita.  It  is 
not  a  good  place  for  fitting  out  an  expedition;  one  cannot 
even  depend  upon  getting  barrels  in  which  to  carry  water 
on  the  trip.  Provisions  are  scarce,  except  honey  and  that 
at  times  gives  out;  beef,  so  indispensable  a  part  of  the 
Mexican  diet,  may  occasionally  be  bought,  and  usually 


190  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


excellent  lard  of  native  manufacture  may  be  procured,  for 
among  Mexicans  a  hog  is  killed  only  for  the  sake  of  the 
lard  to  be  obtained  from  it.  Two  of  the  antiquated  mills 
operated  by  donkeys  were  set  in  motion  to  supply  us  with 
flour,  the  most  necessary  part  of  all  provisions,  and  later 
on  I  was  thankful  that  the  ordinary  white  flour  was  not 
procurable. 

To  be  sure  it  took  a  couple  of  days  or  more  for  the 
patient  burros  to  turn  out  a  quantity  large  enough  with 
which  to  make  a  start,  but  waiting  for  this  flour  was  worth 
while;  though  the  Mexicans  sift  out  the  chaff,  they  nat- 
urally do  not  succeed  in  separating  more  than  half  of  it 
by  their  primitive  methods,  and  the  freshly  ground  flour, 
slightly  brownish  in  color,  baked  into  the  Mexican  tor- 
tillas has  a  flavor  that  defies  description.  The  flour  that 
the  Indian  woman  grinds  on  her  metate,  the  whole  wheat, 
shell  and  all,  ground  as  fine  as  it  is  possible  for  her  to  do 
it,  is  still  better.  If  she  is  willing  to  make  this  into  tor- 
tillas and  toast  them,  the  traveller  will  have  the  most  de- 
licious bread  he  has  ever  tasted.  I  have  become  a  convert 
to  the  tortilla,  provided  it  is  not  served  in  a  soft  state  as  is 
usually  the  case;  even  those  made  from  the  white  man's 
flour,  as  thin  and  large  as  a  medium-sized  newspaper,  are 
good  when  afterward  toasted  on  the  coals  as  they  should 
be,  without  any  burnt  or  brown  spots.  In  the  making  of 
dishes  au  naturel,  Indian  and  Mexican  women  have  no 
peers. 

The  side  and  bottom  of  a  Standard  Oil  can  was 
straightened  out  to  serve  as  our  baking  tray.  At  one  end 
a  hole  was  made  and  a  loop  of  wire  attached  by  which  this 


PROVISIONS 


191 


extremely  useful  contrivance  could  hang  from  any  con- 
venient place  in  the  packing  outfit.  The  ordinary  comal^ 
made  of  earthen-ware,  is  of  course  useless  for  travel,  and  a 
so-called  Dutch  oven  is  altogether  too  heavy  and  cumber- 
some, besides  being  of  little  use.  I  was  so  pleased  with 
this  extemporized  utensil  that  I  had  another  made,  and 
both  served  well  for  many  months,  providing  us  with  the 
luxury  of  freshly  made,  crisp  tortillas. 

A  fairly  large  supply  of  preserved  goods  of  the  kind 
used  by  travellers  had  in  due  time  arrived.  In  that  dry, 
warm  climate,  California  canned  fruit  of  the  best  brand 
furnishes  a  rich  and  useful  relish.  On  an  expedition  like 
this,  where  the  distances  between  water  are  great,  the  out- 
fit should  be  movable  and  convenient,  and  heavy  things 
are  to  be  avoided.  Bacon  is  a  necessary  adjunct  for  the 
preparation  of  game  to  be  killed  and  for  other  reasons, 
and  dried  vegetables  of  various  kinds  must  not  be  omitted. 
Small  packages  of  pressed  figs,  dates,  or  other  fruit,  sold 
at  five  cents  each  in  New  York,  as  also  shelled  nuts,  were 
found  extremely  useful  to  take  along  in  the  saddle  pouch 
when  obliged  to  travel  without  stopping  to  prepare  food. 
Wood  for  making  fires  is  often  scarce,  especially  on  the 
coast,  but  does  not  need  to  be  provided  in  advance. 

As  for  the  animals  to  be  used  on  the  expedition,  I 
had  gradually  been  able  to  acquire  the  necessary  supply 
of  mules  and  horses.  The  Indians  were  persuaded  to 
leave  their  comfortable  huts  in  those  chilly,  windy  days 
to  look  for  their  burros  (donkeys)  which  were  running  on 
pasture  in  the  surrounding  wilds  and  some  of  these  were 
bought.    The  Mexicans  who  were  to  accompany  me 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


furnished  their  own  horses.  Great  difficuhy  was  experi- 
enced in  regard  to  pack-saddles,  and  a  quantity  of  bur- 
lap had  to  be  bought  to  supply  the  need  of  saddle-cloths, 
especially  for  the  burros,  and,  because  it  was  not  possible 
to  secure  material  enough  for  this  purpose.  Sr.  Quiroz  and 
I  contributed  some  old  clothes  which  answered  very  well. 

Pinacate,  an  extensive  field  of  volcanic  upheaval,  to 
the  south-west  of  Sonoita  was  the  immediate  object  of  our 
journey,  and  Alberto  was  to  bring  his  wagon  that  far  in 
order  to  furnish  transportation  for  a  Papago  medicine-man 
called  Quelele  (carrion  hawk),  who  was  too  old  to  ride  on 
horseback.  As  he  was  born  among  the  sand  dunes  and 
knew  well  the  Pinacate  region,  which  plays  an  important 
part  in  the  tribe's  traditions,  I  was  glad  of  the  associations 
that  his  presence  with  us  would  bring.  It  was  a  difficult 
matter,  however,  to  induce  the  old  man  to  participate  in 
the  venture,  although  on  my  first  visit  to  Sonoita  he  had 
consented  to  show  me  Elder  Brother's  house,  as  he  ex- 
pressed it;  in  Pinacate  is  found  one  of  the  principal  resi- 
dences of  this  deity,  a  sacred  cave  to  which  the  younger 
generation  of  the  tribe  pays  little  or  no  attention.  In 
spite  of  his  having  left  Pinacate  many  years  ago,  and  as- 
sociating much  with  Mexicans,  he  was  a  firm  believer  in  the 
ancient  regime,  and  to  him  it  was  a  fact  that  their  Creator 
lived  there. 

When  I  saw  the  old  man  again,  on  my  second  visit  to 
Sonoita,  he  had  thought  my  proposition  over  thoroughly 
and  he  feared  to  go  with  us;  the  Mexicans  who  accom- 
panied me  might  afterward  show  the  cave  to  others,  or 
Mexicans  might  follow  our  tracks  later  and  take  away 


OBJECTIONS  OVERCOME 


193 


the  things  sacrificed  there.  Some  evil  might  befall  us 
such  as  an  illness,  or  a  strong  wind  might  carry  us  down 
into  the  abysses;  then  a  prospector  had  once  availed  him- 
self of  his  services  without  paying  him.  Having  been 
reassured  upon  all  these  points,  he  finally  said  that  on  one 
condition  only  would  he  go  with  me,  namely,  that  on 
arriving  we  should  spend  one  night  in  singing.  This  was 
readily  agreed  to;  Clemente,  my  interpreter,  knew  how  to 
sing  several  Indian  songs,  and  I  also  knew  two,  and  in 
addition  in  my  camp  there  was  Guadalupe,  the  Papago, 
who  sang  very  well. 

He  then  declared  it  necessary  to  bring  certain  sacrificial 
offerings  to  deposit  in  the  cave,  which  it  was  incumbent 
upon  me  to  procure.  The  articles  could  be  bought  from 
the  Indians  of  Sonoita,  except  blue  glass  beads,  which 
were  acquired  through  the  kindness  of  his  wife.  She 
sold  us  a  piece  of  a  beautiful  large  necklace  which  she 
wore  when  she  went  to  the  annual  feast  of  Quitovac. 

One  difficulty  more  had  to  be  overcome,  the  planting 
of  his  wheat,  for  which  he  desired  two  days,  I  paying  a 
man  to  do  the  work.  When  I  rode  back  to  my  camp  late 
in  the  evening  I  felt  that  I  had  accomplished  something 
toward  the  success  of  my  coming  expedition;  but  still  I 
could  not  be  absolutely  sure  of  him  until  I  had  him  in 
the  wagon,  and  it  was  pleasing  to  me  two  days  later  to  re- 
ceive his  assurance  that  he  was  now  ready  for  the  journey, 
^'if  the  sun  was  shining."  For  a  man  nearly  eighty,  even 
though  an  Indian,  it  v/as  not  an  unreasonable  demand,  as 
the  weather  was  surprisingly  chilly  and  so  damp  that  it 
interfered  with  the  packing  of  my  boxes.    On  Friday, 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


December  24,  the  ground  was  as  wet  as  if  it  had  been 
raining;  hght  mist  rested  on  the  hills  around,  and  the  sun 
arose  in  fog  which  completely  enveloped  our  camp,  frost 
appearing  on  the  ground,  but  the  following  day,  Christ- 
mas, the  temperature  changed  and  the  flies  stung  as  if 
we  had  been  in  the  wet  season. 

**It  is  the  mile  that  begins  at  the  door  of  one's  house 
that  is  the  most  difficult  of  the  journey  to  accomplish,"  says 
a  Norwegian  proverb,  and  the  truth  of  it  was  certainly 
brought  home  to  me  as  I  made  resolute  struggles  during 
the  day  to  start  with  Mexicans  and  Indians  who  yet  did 
not  know  each  other  or  the  sundry  animals,  burros,  mules, 
and  horses  they  were  packing.  To  complicate  matters, 
Guadalupe,  the  Papago,  got  drunk;  I  decided  to  move 
at  any  cost,  and  he  managed  to  sit  on  his  burro,  though 
swaying  to  and  fro.  Knowing  how  valuable  he  would 
become  away  from  the  alluring  and  demoralizing  influence 
of  mescal,  I  was  patient  with  him.  We  did  not  travel  far- 
ther than  to  the  Indian  village  where  we  made  camp  on 
the  dancing  place  of  the  Indians  in  front  of  Quelele's 
house.  The  pleasant  little  plain  was  on  a  slight  elevation, 
faultlessly  level  and  scrupulously  clean.  Under  the  jacal 
that  furnishes  shade  for  the  principal  performers  during 
the  ceremonies  of  the  feast,  my  men  spread  out  their  beds. 
The  night  was  clear  and  beautiful,  the  air  fresh,  and  I  felt 
satisfaction  in  having  overcome  such  trying  circumstances 
and  in  the  fact  that  I  was  actually  on  my  way.  My  party 
consisted  of  three  Mexicans  and  three  Indians;  a  Mexican 
who  was  to  act  as  guide  from  Pinacate  to  the  Colorado 
River  was  to  join  us  three  weeks  later  at  Pinacate. 


A  STRONG  CONSTITUTION 


Guadalupe  suffered  much  that  night  under  the  reaction 
from  the  awful  stuff  sold  as  mescal  and  in  reality  wood 
alcohol  and  water.  But  with  all  his  deplorable  failing 
as  regards  strong  drink,  he  was  much  of  a  man,  and  the 
next  morning  found  him  as  active  at  his  work  as  any  one 
else.  From  now  on  he  was  for  many  months  my  valued 
companion  in  the  desert.  He  was  an  excellent  packer, 
besides  being  a  good  cook;  what  he  knew  he  had  picked 
up  from  the  Mexicans,  but  he  was  more  conscientious  and 
careful  than  most  of  them.  He  knew  what  to  do  and  did 
it  without  orders;  a  renowned  tracker,  he  was  also  fond 
of  shooting,  spoke  Spanish  besides  Papago,  and  was 
faithful,  courteous,  and  quiet,  and  altogether  an  ideal  man 
to  camp  with.  Still  this  same  man,  when  he  came  into 
Sonoita  or  Quitovac,  where  the  white  man's  fire-water 
could  be  procured,  would  drink  like  a  fish,  selling  his 
animals  and  belongings  to  gratify  his  craving.  Only  his 
marvellous  constitution  kept  him  alive,  many  Indians  hav- 
ing been  known  to  die  from  the  dreadful  alcohol  sold  them. 


CHAPTER  XIII 


THE  OLD  CABORCA-YUMA  TRAIL— QUITO VAQUITA,  THE  PLACE 
OF  SMALL  SPRINGS— OLD  CAMPING  PLACES— PINACATE  AND 
LEGENDS  CONNECTED  WITH  IT— DISCOVERY  OF  WATER— 
OUR  FIRST  MOUNTAIN-SHEEP— VISIT  TO  A  SACRED  CAVE- 
ASCENT  OF  THE  PEAK— WINTER  WEATHER— CRATER  ELE- 
GANTE—TRAVEL AT  NIGHT 

QuELELE,  the  old  Indian,  joined  us  in  the  morning 
as  we  started  on  our  journey  westward.  From  Sonoita 
to  Agua  Dulce,  a  day's  journey,  we  were  on  the  old 
trail  which,  passing  Sonoita,  connects  Caborca  with 
Yuma.  It  follows  at  first  more  or  less  closely  the  So- 
noita River  which,  after  an  eight-mile  course,  ceases  to 
exist  except  as  a  dry  river-bed  with  a  growth  of  mez- 
quites  at  either  side  and  streams  of  running  water  ap- 
pearing at  intervals,  the  last  time  at  Agua  Dulce.  This 
old  camino  real  was  the  only  means  of  communication 
between  Sonora  and  California  in  the  days  before  the 
Southern  Pacific  Railroad  was  built.  As  the  country 
traversed  is  fairly  level,  the  track  is  passable  for  wagons. 
After  leaving  Sonoita  the  great  difficulty  was,  of  course, 
water;  the  custom  of  carrying  this  in  barrels  is  of  late 
date,  the  travellers,  mostly  Mexicans,  using  gourds  {hules) 
for  the  purpose,  which  is  very  precarious  on  account  of 
their  limited  capacity  and  fragility.     Certain  of  the 

camps  of  the  trail,  such  as  Agua  Dulce,  Tinaja  del  Tule 

196 


A  NOTABLE  TRAIL 


197 


and  Tinajas  Altas,  are  renowned  in  the  pioneer  history  of 
the  district.  Here  water  usually  could  be  depended  upon, 
being  stored  after  showers  in  natural  cavities  of  the  rock, 
but  between  Sonoita  River  and  Yuma  there  is  no  running 
water  for  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  miles;  when  the  pool 
at  Tule  gave  out,  there  would  be  sixty  miles  to  cover  with- 
out water.  But  for  the  help  of  the  Papago  Indians, 
who  knew  where  water  was,  it  would  have  been  impos- 
sible in  those  days  to  have  established  the  trail,  in  the 
following  of  which,  moreover,  hundreds  of  people  later 
died  from  thirst.  Many  recent  authorities  speak  of  this 
part  of  the  trail  as  the  Camino  del  Diablo,  but  nobody 
in  Sonoita  knows  it  under  that  name,  and  possibly 
there  may  be  some  confusion  arising  from  the  name  of 
the  small  canon  between  low  ranges  which  the  trail 
passes  near  the  Tule  well,  called  Cajon  del  Diablo, 

The  Jesuit  fathers  were  probably  the  first  white  men  to 
pass  over  the  trail  in  the  seventeenth  century,  and  Father 
Kino  has  left  us  a  map  of  it.  There  is  no  evidence  to  show 
that  they  ever  traversed  the  country  south  of  it,  at  least 
west  of  Sonoita.  Bancroft's  map  of  Melchior  Diaz's  sup- 
posed route  is  absurd  to  one  who  knows  the  region  in  ques- 
tion. Among  Mexicans  there  is  a  persistent  rumor  of  an 
abandoned  mission  somewhere  in  the  sand-dune  country 
east  of  the  Colorado  River,  showing  foundations  of  walls 
near  a  spring  with  running  water  among  the  sand  dunes, 
and  an  old  smelter  connected  with  it.  Its  location  usually 
is  placed  near  the  coast  south  of  Tinajas  Altas.  A  man 
from  that  camp,  who  was  looking  for  his  horses,  is 
said  to  have  come  across  these  ruins  near  the  Cabeza 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


Prieta  Range,  but  the  lower  part  of  the  Sonoita  River  is 
assumed  to  be  the  locaHty  by  others.  A  Mexican  from 
Yuma,  according  to  report,  searched  for  it  with  persever- 
ance for  several  winters.  Although  I  travelled  for  many 
months  in  those  regions,  I  saw  or  heard  nothing  to  sub- 
stantiate a  belief  in  the  lost  mission  with  its  supposed 
treasures  buried  by  the  crafty  monks. 

I  made  a  halt  of  one  day  at  Quitovaquita,  a  small 
Indian  settlement  just  within  the  United  States  boun- 
dary, in  order  to  try  to  procure  as  member  of  my  party 
a  Papago  medicine-man  who  lives  here.  He  is  known 
under  different  names,  as  Cara  Colorada  (Red  Face,  a 
translation  of  his  native  name).  El  Doctor  Pancho,  or 
simply  Pancho,  and  enjoys  considerable  reputation  in 
his  profession.  He  is  one  of  the  few  surviving  sand 
people  {arenenos)  who  once  inhabited  the  dune  country 
over  which  my  explorations  would  lead.  It  was  es- 
pecially desirable  to  have  him  as  guide  through  that 
somewhat  difficult  region  from  the  mouth  of  the  Col- 
orado River  eastward  along  the  upper  part  of  the  Gulf 
of  California,  and  no  Mexican  had  been  found  who 
knew  that  country. 

Quitovaquita  owes  its  native  name,  ''Small  Springs," 
to  several  diminutive  springs  with  excellent  water  which 
are  found  there,  and  which  in  futile  attempts  at  cattle 
raising  and  mining  have  been  deflected  into  a  dam, 
now  utilized  solely  by  Indians.  The  tiny  stream,  fed  by 
the  springs,  carries  beautiful,  limpid  water  amid  banks 
white  with  mineral  salts;  the  fresh  green  weeds  at  the 
bottom  are  also  refreshing  to  behold.    When  heavy 


THE  VALUE  OF  PLUMES 


199 


showers  fall,  connection  is  made  with  the  Sonoita  River, 
and  the  same  minnows  which  were  seen  there  were 
splashing  in  the  streamlet  up  to  its  very  sources.  The 
dam,  of  only  moderate  size,  made  a  charming  impres- 
sion with  the  surrounding  trees  and  bushes  here  and 
there  reflected  in  it.  There  were  a  few  dark  gray  and 
black  water  hens  here,  one  white  heron  and  some  ducks, 
and  at  dusk  seven  fine-looking  geese  swooped  down  into 
the  pond,  evidently  intending  to  spend  the  night  there. 

It  was  very  disappointing  to  have  the  old  medicine- 
man prevented  from  joining  us  on  account  of  the  pro- 
tracted illness  of  his  daughter,  who  needed  his  care  and 
presence.  I  interviewed  him,  however,  as  long  as  his 
patience  would  permit,  and  although  his  knowledge  and 
horizon  were  limited,  he  gave  accurate  information  and 
was  sincere  in  his  beliefs.  He  was  also  willing  to  sell 
me  eagle  plumes  which  I  needed  for  my  visit  to  the 
sacred  cave  in  Pinacate,  bringing  me  for  selection  a 
number  of  large  wing  feathers  as  well  as  some  small 
ones  from  underneath  the  wing.  Our  own  medicine- 
man, who  had  to  be  consulted  on  this  question,  said  that 
the  small  ones  would  do  very  well.  One  dollar  as  the 
price  of  four  tiny  feathers,  though  they  came  from  an 
eagle,  and  had  to  the  Papago  much  religious  value, 
seemed  rather  excessive,  but  I  paid  it  on  learning  that 
four  of  the  big  ones  were  worth  a  horse,  or  sixteen  dol- 
lars. 

The  old  camping  place,  Agua  Dulce,  which  we 
passed  the  following  day,  has  abundant  and  good  water 
always  flowing,  for  a  short  distance,  in  the  Sonoita 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


river-bed.  There  used  to  be  a  Mexican  ranch  here 
which  has  been  abandoned,  the  surrounding  country 
being  entirely  given  up  to  wild  donkeys,  which  thrive 
here,  and  in  the  dry  season  make  such  a  noise  at  night 
as  to  prevent  any  possibility  of  sleep.  Their  head- 
quarters are  at  this  pleasant  little  stream,  and  between 
here  and  Quitovac  there  must  be  about  three  thousand 
of  these  animals  which  are  constantly  multiplying.  They 
are  very  fat  and  attempts  have  been  made  to  manu- 
facture soap  from  their  fat,  an  article  which  is  always 
expensive  in  Mexico.  I  was  informed  that  the  late 
Cipriano  Ortega,  who  established  the  now  deserted 
Hacienda  de  Santo  Domingo,  once  shot  one  hundred  of 
these  burros  which  supplied  soap  to  the  value  of  two 
thousand  dollars  Mexican  currency.  Some  of  them 
yielded  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  pounds  of  fat,  and 
others  only  fifty.  There  are  many  wild  burros  also  in 
the  District  of  Magdalena.  The  printer  in  Altar  told 
me  that  donkey  fat  is  the  best  for  typographical  use. 

At  Agua  Dulce  we  left  the  old  Yuma  trail,  proceed- 
ing now  in  the  direction  of  Pinacate,  first  to  Agua  Sa- 
lada,  five  miles  farther,  and  the-n  to  Los  Pozitos.  At 
both  localities  water  may  be  found  by  digging  in  the 
river-bed,  though  the  mineral  salts,  comprised  by  the 
Mexicans  in  the  word  salitre,  often  cover  its  banks  like 
a  thin  layer  of  snow.  We  camped  a  little  beyond,  not 
far  from  a  sand  dune  branch  that  extends  from  the 
coast  as  far  as  Agua  Salada.  The  water  at  Los  Pozi- 
tos, though  abundant  and  found  wherever  one  digs  in 
the  sand,  is  somewhat  brackish  and  slightly  muddy. 


Belt  of  great  sand-hills  south  of  Pinacate 

Photographed  at  seven  miles  distance  from  the  north 


FIRST  VIEW  OF  PINACATE 


The  animals  declined  to  drink  and  its  taste  was  not 
pleasant,  but  our  experience  in  the  desert  along  the 
coast  later  taught  us  to  look  upon  this  kind  of  water 
supply  as  almost  nectar.  In  the  evening,  which  was 
December  28,  we  had  light  breezes  from  the  south-west, 
then  from  the  east  and  finally  from  the  north,  during  a 
period  of  two  hours,  the  weather  changing  from  clear  to 
cloudy  and  back  again  two  or  three  times.  Hardly  did 
I  take  a  note  of  the  weather  before  there  was  a  change. 

A  horse  that  strayed  away  during  the  night  delayed 
our  departure  until  about  eleven  o'clock.  We  soon 
emerged  from  the  small  hills  that  surrounded  our  camp 
and  entered  a  fine  llano  with  an  inspiring  view  of  the 
volcanic  upheaval  called  Pinacate  toward  the  south-west. 
Very  noticeable  are  the  two  cone-shaped  peaks,  Los  Picos 
del  Pinacate,  which  rise  from  the  central  part.  They 
are  visible  at  a  great  distance,  and  from  our  point  of 
view  appeared  to  be  side  by  side,  the  one  to  the  left 
being  the  nearer  and  slightly  lower.  The  vast  llano, 
covered  with  sombre  yellowish-green  greasewood  bushes 
sparsely  interspersed  with  chamiso,  appeared  as  flat  as  a 
billiard  table.  Greasewoods  formed  the  horizon  toward 
the  south-east  between  Sierra  del  Pozo  on  the  left  hand 
and  Sierra  de  San  Francisco  on  the  right.  The  soil 
looked  surprisingly  rich,  and  the  Mexicans  all  agreed 
that  it  would  be  good  for  agriculture. 

The  Papago  name  for  Pinacate  is  Tjuktoak,  ''Black 
(tjuk)  Mountain  (toak).''  The  Mexican  name  is  derived 
from  the  prevalence  here  of  a  large  black  beetle  called 
pinacate,  some  species  of  eleoJes,  which  raise  the  hinder 


202  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


parts  of  their  bodies  in  a  peculiar  manner  when  interfered 
with.  The  locaKty  is  famous  in  the  legends  of  the  Papago 
as  being  the  mountain  where  Iitoi,or  Elder  Brother,  landed 
after  the  deluge.  He  knew,  so  tradition  goes,  that  the 
world  was  going  to  be  flooded,  and  he  saved  himself  in  a 
cask  made  from  greasewood  "gum"  with  a  cover  of  the 
same  material.  He  also  taught  the  coyote  how  to  save 
himself  in  a  reed.  He  advised  the  pinacate  to  go  down 
into  the  ground  and  the  vulture  to  rise  high  up  in  the  sky. 
Elder  Brother  saw  how  water  came  forth  from  the  tops 
of  the  mountains,  and  when  it  was  rising  he  entered  his 
cask  which  floated  four  times  around  the  world,  and 
then  he  landed  at  Pinacate  and  was  very  thin  after  the 
long  voyage.  The  coyote  also  drifted  four  times  around 
the  world,  and  was  the  next  to  effect  a  landing,  on  a  range 
without  passes,  near  the  Gila  River.  The  ground  was 
wet  and  very  muddy,  so  litoi  put  up  four  ceremonial 
sticks  to  drain  the  country.  He  and  the  coyote  met 
the  pinacate  and  they  all  walked  together.  The  ground 
was  so  wet  that  they  could  not  sit  down,  so  they  dug  a 
hole  deep  down,  where  they  found  the  soil  to  be  less 
moist.  Then  they  created  the  red  ants  which  a  little 
deeper  down  found  dry  earth  which  they  brought  to  the 
surface  for  the  three  to  sit  on.  From  the  presence  of 
this  deluge  legend  among  the  natives  of  the  arid  coun- 
try, one  might,  not  without  reason,  deduce  an  argument 
for  a  change  of  climate  since  the  days  when  the  legend 
originated. 

Another  legend  of  Pinacate  refers  to  one  of  the  vol- 
canic eruptions: 


EXTINCT  VOLCANOES  203 

litoi  lived  in  Baboquivari  before  he  came  to  Pinacate. 
At  that  time  there  were  many  people  in  Pinacate.  The 
mountains  were  very  high  then,  and  the  sun  used  to 
set  soon  after  it  had  risen,  so  the  days  were  very  short. 
He  saw  that  this  did  not  suit  the  people,  and  he  decided 
to  lower  the  mountains.  He  built  two  fires,  where  the 
two  peaks  are  found  to-day,  making  fire  by  drilling  one 
stick  into  another  one.  The  wind  blew  the  ashes  about 
to  all  parts  and  made  the  mountains  lower,  covering  the 
country  so  as  to  look  as  seen  to-day.  After  that  the  people 
lived  contented,  and  there  was  not  so  much  shade  from 
the  west. 

We  approached  the  great  dark  looking  mass  of  extinct 
volcanoes  much  sooner  than  I  had  expected.  Small  iso- 
lated volcanoes  were  observed  on  the  plain  below  and 
near  the  main  mass  toward  the  north-west;  one  which 
was  soon  left  behind  is  light  in  color,  almost  pinkish, 
hence  its  name  Cerro  Colorado,  with  deep  furrows  from 
the  top  down  and  with  an  air  of  recent  formation  about  it. 
Our  old  guide,  though  he  had  left  the  Pinacate  region 
forty  odd  years  ago,  pointed  out  with  no  uncertainty  the 
place  where  the  Indian  trail  ran  that  would  take  us  to  the 
cave.  At  a  considerable  distance  away  there  is  visible 
about  half-way  up  the  mountain  side  an  abrupt  declivity 
of  a  descending  ridge,  looking  something  like  a  land- 
slide. Below  that  declivity  he  said  that  water  would  be 
found,  and  here  our  camp  was  to  be.  As  soon  as  we  ar- 
rived at  the  lava  flow  the  track  was  very  hard  to  follow. 
Sometimes  we  crossed  small  arroyos  among  the  low  ridges 
with  a  vegetation  consisting  mainly  of  palo  verde,  palo 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


fierro,  and  coarse  grass.  The  wagon  could  only  proceed 
with  difficulty,  and  finally  at  dusk  we  made  camp  near  an 
arroyo  where  there  was  plenty  of  good  grass  for  our  ani- 
mals, but  no  water. 

The  next  day  we  set  out  to  search  for  water,  following 
the  crooked  dry  water-courses  that  ran  down  from  the 
mountains.  As  we  ascended  I  enjoyed  the  fine  view  toward 
the  north-east,  though  the  weather  was  hazy.  It  must  have 
rained  more  here  than  from  where  we  came,  for  we  found 
several  of  the  small  arroyos  slightly  moist  and  I  observed 
half  a  dozen  different  specimens  of  flowers  in  bloom. 
After  a  few  miles  of  ascent,  the  presence  of  small  birds 
singing  indicated  water  somewhere;  it  was  found  below 
the  peculiar  declivity  of  the  mountain  slope,  just  as  we  had 
been  told,  but  its  appearance  was  altogether  surprising: 
four  natural  dams  filled  with  water,  rising  one  above  the 
other  in  the  narrow  gorge.  The  largest  was  fairly  accessi- 
ble to  our  animals,  but  the  rest  could  not  be  reached  by 
them.  Some  of  the  lava  in  the  neighborhood  had  quite  a 
recent  look,  like  cow  dung  or  iron  slag  in  appearance. 

This  locality  used  to  be  one  of  the  favorite  haunts  of  the 
sand  people.  Pieces  of  broken  pottery  were  strewn  on  the 
ground  and  small  circular  rows  of  medium-sized  stones 
indicated  the  camping  space  of  each  family.  Here  they 
came  to  hunt  mountain-sheep  and  to  gather  the  edible 
seeds  called  chia  {hyptis)  which,  when  placed  in  water, 
half  dissolve  into  starchy  matter  and  are  much  relished. 
The  Papago  call  the  locality  ''Many  Pools,''  and  I  named 
it  Las  Tinajas  de  Emilia  for  my  friend.  Miss  Emily  Beebe, 
of  Boston.    In  a  country  where  water  is  so  rare,  travellers 


DELIGHTFUL  CLIMATE 


205 


hail  with  deHght  the  sight  of  such  picturesque  reservoirs. 
From  here  a  trail  leads  across  the  mountains  west  of 
the  two  high  peaks  to  another  former  important  Papago 
camp,  known  among  the  Mexicans  as  Tinaja  de  los  Chivos. 
At  both  places  the  water  lasts  usually  more  than  a  year,  a 
longer  time  than  at  any  of  the  other  natural  tanks  in  the 
Pinacate  region,  the  high  rocks  which  surround  them  pre- 
venting much  evaporation. 

The  next  day,  leaving  our  wagon  behind,  we  moved 
up  to  our  new  camp,  the  site  for  which  I  selected  in  an 
arroyo  three  hundred  yards  below  the  newly  discovered 
tinajas.  Though  somewhat  limited  in  width,  the  dry 
watercourse  with  its  gravelly  sand  furnished  us  an  at- 
tractive camp  on  a  small  elevation  in  its  bed.  As  was 
usually  the  case  with  these  sheltered  arroyos  among  the 
lava  flows  of  Pinacate,  there  were  several  species  of  bushes 
in  flower,  such  as  the  salvia  with  its  odorous  leaves  and 
another,  called  by  the  Mexicans  pinta  pan,  which  had 
bright,  light-blue  flowers.  It  was  the  last  day  of  the  year, 
though  the  temperature  suggested  spring.  The  slender 
ocotillos  on  the  small  gravelly  mesa  near  by  were  begin- 
ning to  bring  forth  new  leaves,  and  in  the  evening  the 
voices  of  the  cicada  (la  chicharra),  to  my  ear  so  closely 
associated  with  tropical  summers,  mingled  with  that  of 
the  mocking-bird.  The  balmy  air  and  the  peace  and  calm 
of  the  place  were  delightful. 

But  the  very  next  day,  Saturday,  January  i,  and  for 
many  days  following,  we  were  made  aware  of  the  presence 
of  winter.  A  moderate  gale  sprang  up  from  the  south, 
gradually  turning  damp  and  disagreeably  cold,  and  the 


2o6  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


sky  became  cloudy  with  occasional  light  showers.  Two 
of  the  Mexicans  went  out  to  look  for  came  (meat),  which 
was  sadly  needed  where  so  many  people,  all  with  ravenous 
appetites,  were  assembled.  My  principal  hunter,  whom 
we  called  Charlie  because,  though  a  Mexican,  he  hailed 
from  Arizona,  had  been  promising  us  mountain-sheep 
for  two  days.  **At  this  time  of  the  year,"  he  said,  ''the 
sheep  are  on  the  tops  of  the  mountains,  where  the  females 
are  having  their  young."  But  scaling  the  tops  brought 
him  no  reward  and  he  did  not  find  even  one  fresh  track, 
so  his  compatriots  began  to  make  merry  with  him. 

About  the  middle  of  the  day,  however,  our  attention 
was  suddenly  attracted  by  the  repeated  sounds  of  rifle 
shots  from  above  in  the  mountains.  After  a  while  our 
hunter  appeared  on  top  of  a  sloping  ridge  above  the  camp 
and  shouted  for  a  burro  to  carry  the  quarry  to  camp,  a 
message  which  gave  us  all  much  satisfaction.  It  was  a 
fine,  large  ram  which  the  combined  efforts  of  three  Mexi- 
cans lifted  up  on  the  pack  animal.  In  camp  it  was 
hoisted  by  the  hind  legs  to  a  branch  and  carefully  skinned 
and  opened.  In  the  stomach  were  found  the  flowerstalks 
as  well  as  leaves  of  the  white  brittle  bush,  an  herb  called 
golondrina  {euphorbia  polycarpa),  reddish  in  color  and 
blooming  at  that  time,  also  some  of  the  parasitic  plant 
that  grows  on  the  palo  verde  and  palo  fierro.  Another 
and  smaller  mountain-sheep  was  brought  in  and  an  es- 
sential part  of  our  provisions  was  successfully  settled  for 
some  little  time  to  come. 

Quelele  had  put  in  readiness  all  the  sacrificial  objects 
we  had  brought  along  for  our  proposed  visit  to  the  sacred 


ASCENDING  THE  PEAK 


207 


cave,  and  he  had  made  several  improvements  in  the  ar- 
rangement of  some.  As  the  time  drew  near  for  our  ex- 
cursion, I  felt  little  inclined  for  the  vigil  of  one  night 
which  had  been  agreed  to,  so  I  asked  him  if  a  couple  of 
hours'  devotional  exercise  might  not  be  sufficient  for  our 
needs.  Clemente  and  Guadalupe,  though  perfectly  will- 
ing to  comply  with  the  conditions,  confessed  that  they 
did  not  know  any  Pinacate  songs.  By  this  and  similar 
arguments  we  succeeded  in  changing  the  old  man's 
mind,  and  he  delighted  me  when  after  thoughtful  reflec- 
tion he  declared  that  it  was  not  necessary  to  sing  now  that 
we  had  so  many  sacrificial  things. 

I  had  decided  to  take  Monday,  January  3,  for  the  visit, 
combining  with  it  an  ascent  of  the  one  of  the  two  peaks 
which  was  nearer  to  our  camp.  In  the  morning  the  wind 
changed  to  west  and  north-west;  a  chilly,  light  shower  of 
rain  fell,  but  when  we  started  from  the  tinajas  for  the 
ascent  at  10.40,  the  weather  was  clear,  there  being  only 
a  few  nimbus  clouds  in  sight.  As  we  followed  the  fairly 
distinct  Indian  trail  that  winds  its  way  along  the  ridges 
upward,  I  observed  the  chuparosa  {heloperone  californica), 
the  flowers  of  which  are  eaten  by  the  Papago,  and  also 
quantities  of  the  well-known  plant  chia  in  the  small  ar- 
royos  and  declivities.  One  hour's  march  brought  us  to  the 
base  of  the  cinder-covered  cone  where  the  cave  was  situ- 
ated. Many  years  had  gone  by  from  the  time  of  Quelele's 
last  visit  to  the  sacred  precinct;  his  hair  was  not  gray 
then  and  more  than  one  generation  had  passed  since. 
He  could  not  at  once  find  the  object  of  our  trip  and  half 
an  hour  was  spent  in  searching  for  it  in  the  lava  flow. 


2o8  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


There  was  an  entrance  to  a  subterranean  cave  which  he 
distinctly  remembered  not  to  be  the  right  one,  and  here 
we  noticed  some  marks  cut  in  a  sahuaro  which  was  grow- 
ing near  the  hole  that  led  downward.  Our  cave  turned 
out  to  be  a  long  natural  tunnel,  the  bottom  of  which  ran 
for  some  twenty  feet  below  the  surface.  The  roof  of  the 
tunnel  had  fallen  in  for  about  ten  yards  just  where  the 
entrance  to  the  holy  place  had  been,  and  hence  our  guide 
did  not  at  first  recognize  it.  The  passage  is  believed  by 
the  Indians  to  run  westward  underneath  the  mountains, 
then  under  the  sea  until  it  reaches  an  island  where  Elder 
Brother's  wife  lives.  The  god  has  another  though  less 
important  "house"  some  miles  from  this  cave  on  the 
same  side  of  the  mountain,  but  this  I  did  not  visit. 

It  evidently  filled  Quelele  with  dismay  that  "litoi's 
house  had  fallen  down.''  The  god  himself  had  caused 
this  destruction  in  anger  against  the  people  who  no 
longer  came  to  deposit  offerings  and  do  him  homage. 
Some  old,  weather-worn  sacrificial  objects  were  observed 
around  a  small  natural  terrace  down  in  the  opening,  as 
well  as  in  the  cracks  of  the  rocky  sides.  Our  guide 
was  too  old  to  descend  himself,  but  he  asked  the  two 
Indians,  Guadalupe  and  Clemente,  to  perform  the  sacri- 
fice for  him.  They  clambered  down  and  Guadalupe 
deposited  in  a  crack  of  the  old  lava  the  ceremonial  ob- 
jects we  had  brought  along.  These  objects  were  an 
arrow,  as  a  mark  of  respect  and  for  the  use  of  the  god; 
a  prayer-stick,  colored  by  red  ochre  with  a  small  eagle 
plume  tied  to  its  top,  to  secure  luck  in  hunting;  a  bunch 
of  yucca  fibre  tied  in  a  knot,  in  order  that  the  wind  might 


Guadalupe  at  the  sacred  cwl  m  J'inacate 


MAKING  OUR  VISIT 


209 


be  favorable  to  us;  some  cigarettes  for  the  god's  personal 
use;  a  piece  of  blue  glass  bead  necklace,  for  the  god  to 
use  as  appendages  for  his  ears  and  for  the  septum  of 
his  nose.  On  their  own  account  Guadalupe  and  Cle- 
mente  each  placed  a  strand  of  fibre  in  order  that  noth- 
ing untoward  should  happen  to  either  of  them  while 
on  the  expedition,  asking  especially  for  protection  against 
storms. 

While  this  was  being  done  the  old  man  lighted  a 
cigarette  and,  turning  his  face  toward  the  west  where  the 
sea  is,  though  hidden  from  view  by  the  peak  that  rose 
above  us,  he  made  his  prayer  aloud  to  litoi,  smoking  now 
and  then  and  blowing  the  smoke  in  the  same  direction. 

"I  did  not  come  to  visit  you  because  the  weather 
was  bad,"  he  said.  *'Now  I  have  come  to  leave  these 
things  here.  I  could  not  find  your  house  because  it  is 
so  different  now.  With  whom  are  you  angry  ?  Perhaps 
you  are  angry  with  us  because  we  do  not  visit  you  more 
often.  A  man  comes  here  from  the  other  side  of  the 
sea  to  know  your  house.  I  bring  him  and  his  compan- 
ions from  Sonoita.  Give  good  luck  to  the  man  and  to 
us  all.  Give  good  luck  to  the  hunters  that  he  has  with 
him.  Give  them  a  mountain-sheep  that  you  do  not 
need  for  yourself.  Give  me  good  luck  on  my  return 
home.    Don't  let  it  rain  while  I  travel.    Stop  the  wind." 

The  ceremonies  over,  he  began  to  make  his  way 
back  to  camp  while  we  continued  our  ascent  at  one 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  Near  the  rim  of  a  small  crater, 
two-thirds  up  from  here,  quails  and  a  cotton-tail  enli- 
vened the  scene.    I  had  expected  to  be  troubled  by 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


spiny  choyas  when  walking  in  the  sHppery  cinders,  but 
there  were  none  growing  toward  the  top;  in  fact,  I  hardly 
observed  half  a  dozen  the  whole  day.  As  we  approached 
the  top  the  paths  of  the  mountain-sheep  were  very  no- 
ticeable in  the  loose  cinders,  as  distinct  as  if  a  dozen 
men  had  been  marching  in  file,  and  leading  upward  in 
fairly  good  grades.  The  roads  became  more  numerous 
as  we  ascended,  and  often  we  saw  the  lairs  of  the  sheep 
where  their  bodies  had  left  shallow  hollows  in  the  cin- 
ders, there  being  perhaps  half  a  dozen  or  more  at  each 
place.  These  animals  seem  to  select  the  most  lofty 
places  for  camping  although  they  may  never  be  dis- 
turbed by  human  beings;  even  at  the  very  top,  toward 
the  east,  their  camps  were  seen,  and  one  at  only  ten 
yards  from  the  summit.  Our  ascent  ended  at  2.40  p.  m. 
My  aneroids,  subject  to  the  uncertainty  inherent  in  all 
those  instruments,  at  the  top  showed  an  elevation  of 
4,400  feet,  at  a  temperature  of  41°  F.,  and  our  camp  to 
be  2,475  feet  lower.  The  other  peak,  which  is  west, 
a  little  to  the  south,  is  scarcely  a  mile  off,  and  visibly 
higher,  the  difference  being  only  about  a  hundred  feet. 

The  view  was  fine  and  quite  extensive;  the  upper 
part  of  the  Gulf  of  California  and  the  sand  dunes  that 
border  it  are  not  far  off.  The  mountains  of  Lower 
California  seemed  to  stretch  out  in  a  long,  even  range. 
The  distant  sierras  and  llanos  looked  impressive,  and 
as  for  Pinacate  itself,  it  seemed  to  be  composed  of  sev- 
eral hundred  volcanoes  of  no  great  height  or  prominence, 
which  in  their  mass  form  a  sierra,  as  the  Mexicans  call 
it,  with  several  outlying  cones  and  craters,  especially 


COLD  WEATHER 


211 


toward  the  north.  The  lava  flow,  which  reaches  from 
the  southern  point  of  Sierra  Blanca  to  La  Playa  in  the 
north,  is  about  forty-five  miles  long  and  thirty  miles  at 
the  widest  place. 

During  the  hour  and  a  half  spent  on  top  I  took 
photographs  of  the  panorama  which  spread  itself  around 
us,  but  the  north-westerly  wind,  at  first  slight  and  then 
increasing  in  strength,  began  to  interfere  so  much  that 
it  knocked  down  my  tripod,  breaking  one  of  its  legs. 
The  temperature  steadily  fell  until  it  reached  32°  F. 
and  we  were  all  shivering  with  cold,  one  of  the  Mexi- 
cans literally  trembling.  A  small  fire,  which  we  suc- 
ceeded in  making  from  some  remains  of  bushes  that 
were  lying  about,  served  to  warm  us  up  somewhat, 
though  the  ache  in  my  finger  tips  did  not  abate  and 
brought  back  to  memory  bitterly  cold  days  of  my  boy- 
hood in  Norway.  Toward  sunset  it  grew  hazy  and  in- 
distinct, clouds  began  to  obscure  the  horizon  drawing 
nearer  as  if  a  storm  were  approaching.  We  were  all 
glad  to  leave  the  top  and  to  begin  our  descent,  sliding 
quickly  along  in  the  loose  cinders  and  arriving  after 
dark  at  our  sheltered  camp. 

In  the  night  a  gale  from  the  north  broke  upon  us, 
bringing  cold,  crisp,  and  clear  weather  in  its  wake.  It 
felt  like  real  winter  and  in  the  morning  we  had  to  move 
our  kitchen  down  for  shelter  into  a  cut  of  the  arroyo, 
and  also  to  make  a  barricade  of  uprooted  bushes  and 
plants  against  the  wind.  A  hardy  humming-bird  was 
observed  hovering  above  the  chuparosas. 

Quelele,  having  complied  with  his  obligations,  de- 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


parted  during  the  day,  Alberto  being  commissioned  to 
take  him  safely  back  to  Sonoita  in  the  wagon  which  we 
had  left  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains.  Clemente,  the 
interpreter,  went  with  him.  He  had  served  me  well  for 
two  or  three  months  and  had  for  some  time  been 
anxious  to  return  to  his  native  place,  Caborca,  to  look 
after  his  private  affairs.  He  was  an  able  and  truthful 
Indian,  who  spoke  Spanish  well,  though  his  extreme 
sensitiveness  to  anything  that  he  imagined  savored  of 
criticism  interfered  to  some  extent  with  his  usefulness. 
Alberto  was  to  return  within  a  specified  time,  bringing 
back  from  Sonoita  the  man  who  was  to  guide  us  to  the 
Colorado  River  as  well  as  provisions. 

The  clear,  cold  weather  continued  for  four  days;  the 
water  froze  in  our  big  canteens,  and  on  the  ponds  in  the 
arroyo  the  ice  was  an  inch  and  a  quarter  thick  and  had 
to  be  broken  in  order  to  make  it  possible  for  our  ani- 
mals to  drink.  Water  which  was  put  on  the  fire  for 
cooking  purposes  was  largely  in  the  form  of  lumps  of 
ice,  making  genuine  American  ice-water. 

Taking  Charlie  and  the  remaining  Mexican  with 
me,  I  proceeded  on  an  excursion  to  a  large  crater  east 
of  our  camp  which  I  had  seen  on  ascending  the  peak, 
and  which  looked  as  if  it  were  a  large  circular  hole  on 
the  plain.  It  is  little  known  among  the  very  few  Mexi- 
cans who  visit  the  Pinacate  region  and  had  been  men- 
tioned to  me  as  the  largest  and  the  most  beautiful  of  all 
the  craters  here.  The  only  life  observed  on  the  road 
was  when  one  or  two  of  the  little  ground-squirrels  that 
hold  their  tails  erect,  ran  across  our  path,  and  a  raven 


A  BEAUTIFUL  CRATER 


213 


was  noticed  sitting  on  a  stump  and  watching  perhaps 
for  some  hzard  to  come  out  into  the  sun.  One  won- 
ders what  this  bird  can  find  to  eat  here,  but  there  is  a 
certain  tuberous  plant  growing  on  the  plains  called 
covendy  which  furnishes  a  favorite  food  supply. 

Approaching  the  crater  from  the  south  as  we  did, 
there  appears  a  long,  low  slanting  ridge  which  is  its 
rim,  rising  only  at  the  highest  point  from  about  one 
hundred  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  above  the  sur- 
rounding country.  It  is  easy  to  ride  up  to  the  top  of 
this  ridge.  On  reaching  this  and  taking  a  few  steps 
forward,  the  magnitude  and  beautiful  regularity  of  the 
circular  opening  which  yawns  impressively  before  one  is 
surprising.  I  do  not  know  how  deep  it  is,  for  I  had 
no  opportunity  to  attempt  a  descent,  which  is  said  to 
be  feasible  though  very  difficult,  and  it  looks  difficult 
too,  for  the  walls  have  crumbled  less  than  is  the  case 
with  other  craters  I  saw  later  in  that  region.  Com- 
pared with  these,  I  should  think  this  would  be  about 
eight  hundred  feet  deep.  The  bottom  is  flat  and  the 
talus  reaches  about  half-way  up  the  steep  sides.  It  is 
probably  the  deepest  of  all  the  craters  there,  and  is  by 
far  the  most  beautiful,  so  the  name  Crater  Elegante 
would  be  appropriate  for  it. 

The  bottom  looks  like  quite  an  attractive  country; 
the  same  vegetation  is  observed  there  as  above  the  sur- 
face, and  some  additional,  for,  besides  the  patches  of 
galleta  grass,  there  is  a  large  bluish-white  patch  that  ap- 
peared through  my  field-glass  like  a  growth  of  the  arrow- 
bush  (in  Spanish  cachanilla).    This  would  indicate  that 


214  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 

there  is  water,  though  probably  below  the  surface.  Sa- 
huaros  are  seen  to  grow  down  there,  as  also  choya  and 
the  barrel  cactus,  palo  verde,  and  palo  fierro;  most  prom- 
inent of  all  is  the  white  brittle  bush  which,  as  white 
dots,  appears  everywhere  and  even  up  on  the  sides  of  the 
talus.  According  to  Mexican  information,  a  bush  called 
quaviri  grows  there,  as  well  as  the  plant  istafiate.  Sal- 
itre  is  said  to  be  present  in  spots  toward  the  south;  it 
occurs  on  the  surface  in  small  patches  a  mile  or  so  be- 
fore arriving  at  the  crater. 

To  get  some  idea  of  the  size  of  this  opening  in  the 
earth,  we  rode  around  it,  following  an  old,  fairly  good 
trail  along  the  rim.  The  trail  was  used  formerly  by 
the  Indians  in  their  pursuit  of  mountain-sheep,  which 
occasionally  descend  into  the  crater,  and  fresh  tracks  of 
these  animals  were  seen  near  by.  Some  of  the  Indians, 
armed  with  bows  and  arrows,  would  follow  the  sheep 
down,  while  others  would  watch  for  their  egress  from 
above.  We  rode  as  fast  as  our  horses  could  walk,  and 
accomplished  the  circuit  in  fifty  minutes;  making  al- 
lowance for  a  slower  pace  one-third  of  the  way,  on  ac- 
count of  the  stony  character  of  the  road,  I  think  it  safe 
to  say  that  the  opening  is  a  circle  three  miles  around. 

It  was  nearly  six  o'clock  and  already  dark  when  we 
retraced  our  steps.  A  chilling  northerly  wind  was  blow- 
ing, but  we  warmed  ourselves  around  a  large  fire  of  dry 
ocotillo  and  departed.  As  long  as  Venus  gave  light  we 
travelled  pretty  well,  stopping  several  times  for  a  few 
minutes  to  warm  ourselves.  It  was  only  a  matter  of  a 
few  moments  to  make  a  fire  by  throwing  a  match  into 


MATERIAL  FOR  FIRE 


215 


the  tall,  dry  galleta  grass,  patches  of  which  we  passed 
now  and  then.  The  wind  blew  the  large  waves  of  heat 
over  us  and  our  riding  animals,  which  seemed  to  enjoy 
the  comforting  warmth  and  even  the  cheering  aspect  of 
it  as  much  as  we  did.  There  is  at  least  one  advantage 
in  travelling  in  the  desert,  and  that  is  that  there  are  so 
many  inflammable  bushes  and  trees.  A  fire  can  gener- 
ally be  made  quicker  here  than  in  any  other  country  I 
know  of;  a  match  to  the  choya  and  all  the  bristles  take 
fire  as  if  they  were  tinder,  and  the  spines  of  the  sahuaro 
burn  in  the  same  way.  The  small  bush  tovoso,  which 
grows  everywhere  in  the  desert  region,  contains  so  much 
resinous  matter  that  it  burns  even  when  green  and  wet; 
for  the  same  reason  the  primitive  looking  canutillo 
{ephedra)  of  the  sand  dunes  furnishes  a  flaring  blaze. 
Dry  ocotillos  are  often  seen  lying  about  on  the  ground, 
especially  along  the  bases  of  the  mountains,  ready  at  a 
minute's  notice  to  make  an  excellent  flame.  The  sa- 
huaro or  the  choya  when  dry  burn  almost  equally  as 
well,  and  the  brittle  bush  may  serve  as  fuel  when  the 
fire  is  already  made. 

After  a  while  it  grew  as  dark  as  night  can  be,  and  we 
could  not  see  each  other  as  we  walked  leading  our  ani- 
mals one  after  the  other  in  order  to  keep  warm.  The 
rough,  black  lava  ridges  we  now  and  then  had  to  cross 
tried  us  sorely,  and  the  brittle  bushes  were  our  only 
guidance  here,  standing  out  as  whitish  spots  among  the 
now  invisible  but  hard  and  sharp  lava  blocks.  Once  I 
stumbled  down  a  small  lava  ridge,  which  to  the  eye  ap- 
peared as  even  ground;  I  swung  down  and  down  over 


2i6  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


big  blocks,  landing  finally  with  my  right  hand  against  the 
rough  lava;  my  escape  from  breaking  a  limb  was  truly 
wonderful. 

About  ten  o'clock  we  arrived  in  camp,  tired  and  pre- 
pared to  eat  anything  in  sight.  The  shelter  of  bushes 
in  the  arroyo,  which  we  called  la  cocina  (kitchen),  beck- 
oned to  us  very  hospitably  with  its  substantial  fire  of 
palo  verde  wood  and  the  ollas,  pots,  and  kettles  standing 
warm  awaiting  us.  Guadalupe  had  retired  for  the  night, 
but  arose  to  take  care  of  our  riding  animals.  He  had 
a  splendid  supper  ready  consisting  of  boiled  mountain- 
sheep  with  bones  and  consomme.  I  know  of  no  meat 
that  can  compare  in  flavor  with  that  of  the  mountain- 
sheep,  even  if  the  animal  be  old.  Also  the  Indian  possesses 
the  secret  of  boiling  meat  slowly,  and  the  frtjoles  (beans) 
served  were  for  the  same  reason  excellent  without  the 
adding  of  any  lard;  few  people  know  what  a  delicate, 
though  little  pronounced,  natural  flavor  beans  have. 
Until  I  had  been  among  Indians  I  did  not  know  this, 
and  only  extreme  hunger  would  now  induce  me  to  eat 
the  tasteless  horror  of  so-called  Boston  baked  beans. 
Guadalupe  had  made  for  me  in  addition  some  tortillas 
of  very  fine  quality,  and  I  congratulated  myself  upon 
having  such  a  useful  Indian  with  me. 


CHAPTER  XIV 


CHANGING  CAMP— MOUNTAIN-SHEEP— THE  USEFUL  GREASEWOOD 
—PALO  FIERRO,  THE  FRIENDLY  DESERT  TREE— LOS  MED  AN  OS, 
THE  GREAT  SAND  DUNES— UNUSUAL  TRACKS— ABANDONED 
INDIAN  CAMPS— NEW  SIERRAS— LA  TINAJA  DE  LOS  PAPAGOS— 
VISIT  TO  A  CRATER 

On  Sunday,  January  9,  we  moved  camp  to  the  place 
where  Alberto  and  the  guide  were  to  meet  us,  in  the 
southern  Pinacate  Mountains,  one  mile  from  the  pool 
called  Tinaja  del  Cuervo.  We  followed  an  Indian  trail 
descending  to  the  llano,  and  as  we  passed  an  old  Indian 
camping  place  near  a  water  pool,  a  large  olla  was  found 
entire  among  the  greasewood  bushes  and  a  big  sea-shell 
used  by  the  Indians  as  a  drinking  vessel  was  lying  on 
the  ground.  In  the  arroyos  that  run  down  from  the 
mountains  the  palo  fierro  grew  to  unusual  size  and 
beauty,  and  quails,  doves,  and  other  birds  were  about. 
I  remained  behind  and  as  I  rode  along,  taking  topo- 
graphical notes,  I  was  suddenly  confronted  by  a  coyote, 
dragging  its  hind  quarters  painfully  along,  apparently 
paralyzed.  At  first  sight  I  thought  it  might  have  rabies; 
then,  as  I  rode  nearer  to  take  a  photograph,  the  animal 
simply  lay  down,  offering  no  resistance  even  when  my 
terrier  began  to  look  it  over.  It  had  a  fresh  wound  in 
the  left  side,  which  told  me  that  it  had  been  struck  by 

a  bullet  from  my  party  ahead.    Mavit  repeatedly  dug 

217 


2i8  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


his  nose  into  its  side  and  back,  but  he  did  not  seem  to 
want  to  do  it  any  harm. 

After  a  march  of  about  five  hours,  over  good  road 
mostly,  we  arrived  at  our  destination,  an  inlet  from  the 
llano  at  the  base  of  the  mountains,  well  protected  by 
sheltering  ridges  running  down  from  above.  An  abun- 
dance of  galleta  grass  was  growing  here,  and  hence  the 
locahty  was  called  Galletal.  Mezquites,  palo  fierro,  and 
various  bushes  indicated  the  course  of  an  arroyo,  near 
which  we  made  camp.  The  Tinaja  del  Galletal,  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile  higher  up  the  arroyo,  was  found  to 
be  dry,  but  in  another  arroyo,  a  mile  north  of  our  camp, 
there  was  water  in  the  Tinaja  del  Pinto,  known  hitherto 
possibly  only  to  the  Indians,  though  trails  led  up  to 
both  pools.  I  found  this  to  be  a  better  camping  place 
than  the  Tinaja  del  Cuervo,  close  by,  the  usual  stopping 
place  of  Indians  and  Mexicans  on  their  salt  expeditions 
to  the  coast. 

We  had  plenty  of  partly  green  grass  and  much  wood, 
the  situation  was  very  pleasant,  and  I  greatly  enjoyed 
the  calm  and  mild  weather  after  the  cold  and  windy 
week  we  had  just  passed.  The  locality  was  alive  with 
quail;  in  the  mornings  after  dawn  they  would  begin 
emitting  a  low  cackling  note  while  feeding  in  the  quaviri 
trees  {lycium)  that  grew  here  and  there  about  the  camp. 
These  small,  pretty  trees  with  their  light  green  foliage 
seemed  to  be  the  favorite  feeding  ground  of  the  quail. 
Both  the  young  leaves  and  especially  the  red  berries  are 
eaten;  the  latter  are  also  relished  by  the  Papago,  either 
dried  or  boiled.    It  is  strangely  difficult  to  see  these 


HUNTING  MOUNTAIN-SHEEP 


219 


birds  when  feeding  or  roosting,  though  they  frequent  trees 
that,  compared  with  others,  have  small  leaves  and  few 
of  them.  It  was  surprising  to  find  that  a  tree  of  small 
dimensions  might  harbor  as  many  as  a  couple  of  dozen 
feeding  among  its  delicate  foliage.  These  birds  rest  for 
the  night  in  the  mezquite  and  the  palo  fierro. 

It  was  desirable  to  have  dried  mountain-sheep  meat 
for  our  proposed  expedition  to  the  Colorado  River,  and 
I  also  wanted  to  preserve  some  skins  and  skulls  for 
scientific  use.  This  was  welcome  news  to  the  two  Mexi- 
cans, who  were  very  anxious  to  start  shooting.  The 
first  day's  hunt  resulted  in  ten  shots  being  fired  at  one 
animal  without  apparently  wounding  it  seriously,  if  at 
all,  but  the  second  day,  after  dark,  they  reported  that 
they  had  killed  six  sheep  which  they  had  encountered 
up  in  the  mountains  four  or  five  miles  away.  They  had 
shot  them  in  the  course  of  two  hours.  According  to 
their  story,  and  this  was  confirmed  by  my  experience 
later,  generally  those  of  a  flock  which  are  not  hit  do  not 
run  far,  but  soon  stop  to  look  at  the  intruder.  They 
are  stupid,  though  nervous  animals,  and  very  inquisi- 
tive; as  one  of  the  Mexicans  expressed  it,  they  lend 
themselves  very  well  to  the  camera.  Our  principal 
hunter  gave  it  as  his  opinion  that  if  one  shoots  at  a 
mountain-sheep  without  hitting  him,  he  looks  at  you,  for 
el  cimaron  es  muy  homhre  (the  mountain-sheep  is  very 
courageous).  These  animals  never  attack  man,  but  in 
the  summer  the  males  fight  much  between  themselves. 
The  skins  which  I  brought  back  from  this  expedition 
are  all  from  Ovis  Canadensis  Gaillardi.    It  is  a  smaller 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


animal  than  that  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  The  horns 
are  long  and  strongly  incurved.  Mountain-sheep  are 
found  in  most  of  the  sierras  of  southern  Arizona  and 
north-western  Sonora,  from  Tinajas  Altas  to  Port  Lobos, 
especially  in  the  Gila,  the  Cabeza  Prieta  and  the  Mo- 
hawk Ranges,  Sierra  de  Cubabi  and  Sierra  de  Santa 
Rosa.  They  may  still  be  encountered  in  Sierra  del  Viejo 
and  Sierra  del  Alamo  and  in  rare  instances  survive  al- 
most as  far  as  the  neighborhood  of  Hermosillo.  These 
are  all  one  species. 

We  now  had  more  than  sufficient  game  for  our  needs, 
and  for  two  days  we  were  kept  busy  bringing  the  quarry 
in,  skinning  and  cutting  the  meat  in  long  strips  which 
were  hung  up  to  dry.  Even  dry,  this  meat  tastes  very 
good,  and  does  not  grow  hard  as  that  of  oxen.  Some  of 
it  which  I  brought  to  New  York  had  preserved  the  same 
pleasant  flavor,  although  it  had  been  cured  without 
much  care  and  was  over  a  year  old.  It  is  much  improved 
by  sprinkling  salt  on  the  strips  before  drying.  Alberto 
and  our  guide,  Clodomiro  Lopez,  arrived  opportunely  to 
help  us  in  our  butchering. 

The  two  Mexicans  I  had  sent  to  investigate  the  condi- 
tion of  the  small  tinaja  near  the  north  end  of  Sierra 
Blanca  to  the  south  of  us,  found  it  dry.  It  does  not 
last  usually  more  than  three  months,  so  a  contemplated 
visit  to  this  little-known  locality  had,  therefore,  to  be 
postponed  until  a  more  opportune  time.  After  our 
horses  had  all  been  shod  for  the  hard  malpais,  as  the 
Mexicans  call  the  lava  flow  which  we  should  have  to 
traverse,  we  started,  continuing  to  skirt  the  Pinacate 


FIRST  VIEW  OF  THE  SAND  DUNES  221 


until  we  reached  the  starting  point  for  our  western  ex- 
pedition. Our  pack  animals  were  eleven,  four  mules 
and  seven  burros. 

As  we  gained  a  point  of  vantage  on  the  malpais,  which 
stretched  widely  down  from  Pinacate,  high  sand  dunes 
appeared  against  the  overcast  sky  about  two  miles  away. 
The  sea  was  some  fifteen  miles  distant  from  here  and 
would  have  been  visible  but  for  the  dull  day.  At  first 
sight  the  row  of  big  sand-hills  appeared  as  if  bathed  in  a 
dim  sunlight,  but  this  was  only  apparently  so  and  is  due 
to  their  peculiar  light  roseate  tinge,  which  is  less  marked 
in  the  low  dunes  near  the  sea  where  the  sand  is  much 
lighter  in  color.  We  approached  them  nearer  and  nearer, 
and  finally  travelled  beside  them  over  sandy  flats  that  run 
up  among  the  low  lava  ridges.  Among  the  lava  small 
green  bushes,  evidently  owing  their  existence  mostly  to 
moisture  from  the  sea,  made  their  appearance. 

We  still  had  the  greasewoods  with  us,  though  much 
more  scattered ;  even  in  the  depressions  between  the  great 
waves  of  the  dunes  this  bush  ekes  out  an  existence, 
though  often  half  buried  by  the  sand.  Here  for  the 
first  time  I  had  occasion  to  see  its  mistletoe,  a  parasitic 
plant  called  by  the  Mexicans  toji;  it  is  found  only  on  the 
coast  and  is  famous  among  the  Mexicans  as  a  wonderful 
remedy.  A  tea  made  from  it  is  supposed  to  relieve  all 
kinds  of  stomach  ailments  from  colic  to  dysentery.  Clo- 
domiro,  the  guide,  found  this  tea  so  refreshing  that  he 
used  it  as  a  beverage  whenever  he  had  an  opportunity. 
Parasitic  plants  of  similar  appearance  also  grow  in  abun- 
dance on  the  palo  verde  as  well  as  on  the  palo  fierro  and 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


on  the  mezqulte,  but  they  are  of  another  kind  and  not  of 
medicinal  value.  The  one  on  the  greasewood  of  the  coast 
is  not  very  common.  I  have  not  tried  its  efficacy,  but,  judg- 
ing from  the  extraordinary  antiseptic  properties  of  the 
bush  on  which  it  lives,  I  am  inclined  to  think  well  of  the 
remedy.  Steeping  some  twigs  and  leaves  of  the  grease- 
wood  in  boiling-hot  water  produces  a  remarkable  antisep- 
tic. My  dog  was  bitten  once  by  another  dog  at  a  particu- 
larly delicate  place,  and  the  wound,  somewhat  hidden 
from  view,  caused  great  inconvenience  after  a  few  days 
and  was  much  swollen.  Even  after  having  been  liberated 
from  maggots,  which  were  found  to  be  the  main  cause  of 
the  trouble,  the  dog  was  very  ill;  he  could  walk  with 
difficulty  and  it  seemed  very  likely  that  he  would  die,  but 
within  twelve  hours  after  the  application  of  this  simple 
remedy  he  had  recovered. 

The  greasewood  is  the  ever-ready  and  unfailing  rem- 
edy of  the  ranchero  and  of  the  Papago  for  all  kinds  of 
wounds.  It  is  also  taken  internally  in  case  of  any  gastric 
disturbance.  The  Mexicans  have  many  remedies,  but 
this  is  one  about  which  there  is  no  difference  of  opinion. 
For  internal  use,  however,  the  parasitic  growth  of  this 
bush  is  considered  superior.  The  American  frontiers- 
man by  steeping  the  mashed  leaves  of  the  greasewood  in 
water  produces  what  he  considers  a  wonderful  laxative. 
The  greasewood  supplies  a  few  of  the  not  very  numerous 
wants  of  the  Papago.  A  piece  of  this  wood  tied  to  a 
sahuaro  stick,  for  instance,  furnishes  a  hook  for  bringing 
down  fruit.  The  small  rasping  sticks  which  the  medicine- 
man employs  when  treating  members  of  a  salt  expedition. 


Hauling  palo  fierro  branches  for  camp  fire  at  dusk 


THE  ATTRACTIVE  GREASEWOOD 


are  made  from  greasewood,  while  those  used  for  other 
purposes  are  made  of  various  materials  to  fit  the  occasion. 
The  secretions  of  a  scale  insect  carteria,  which  are  de- 
posited on  the  branches  of  this  bush,  serve  the  Papago  for 
several  purposes.  Handles  for  the  awls  which  the  women 
employ  in  the  manufacture  of  baskets  are  of  this  material, 
which  is  first  dried  in  the  sun  and  ground,  then  heated  on 
a  piece  of  crockery  over  the  fire,  and  moulded  into  shape. 
Also  balls  for  the  foot-races  are  made  from  it,  a  stone  being 
placed  inside.    Besides  it  serves  for  mending  pottery. 

The  greasewood  is  as  hardy  as  the  cactus  and  the  har- 
diest of  all  the  trees  or  bushes  of  the  desert.  It  contents 
itself  with  poor  soil  if  necessary,  but  it  attains  its  finest 
development  on  the  rich  detritus  of  the  llanos.  Perhaps 
the  varnish-like  substance  which  covers  its  leaves  and 
makes  them  sticky  helps  to  protect  the  plant  by  preventing 
evaporation  and  its  roots  probably  reach  down  very  deep. 
However  that  may  be,  it  is  always  flourishing,  even  in 
the  fiercest  heat.  To  me  the  greasewood  is  a  symbol  for 
health  and  an  example  of  cheerful  existence  under  adverse 
circumstances.  It  gives  out  an  odor  which  it  would  be 
impossible  to  count  among  the  perfumes  of  the  world  and 
which  suggested  the  name  creosote  bush  contemptuously 
applied  to  it.  The  Mexicans  for  the  same  reason  call  it  by 
•the  uncomplimentary  name  hediondia.  To  some  people 
like  myself  its  odor,  being  salubrious,  is  more  pleasant  than 
otherwise.  Though,  strictly  speaking,  nothing  in  nature 
is  ugly,  the  greasewood  could  not  be  called  beautiful,  ex- 
cept, perhaps,  when  covered  in  the  spring  with  its  small 
yellow,  jolly  flowers.    It  may  be  compared  to  a  person 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


radiant  with  health  and  good  cheer,  for  which  he  is  Hked, 
though  he  may  not  be  handsome.  Were  I  a  poet,  I  should 
sing  the  praise  of  the  modest  greasewood  of  sterling  qual- 
ities. 

Half  a  dozen  quails  looked  lazily  at  us  from  the  top  of 
a  large  sand  dune  as  we  passed  along.  The  small  reddish 
tree  called  sangrengado  was  seen  at  intervals;  its  finer 
branches  serve  the  Papago  as  material  for  basket  making 
and,  as  well  as  the  bark,  offer  tempting  morsels  for  the 
mountain-sheep.  The  fragrant  odor  of  copal  was  evi- 
dent for  a  little  while,  although  we  did  not  discover  its 
source. 

We  camped  on  the  sand  for  the  night.  Although 
there  was  considerable  galleta  grass  growing  here  and 
there,  all  the  mules,  donkeys,  and  horses  gathered  at  once 
around  a  lone  but  very  large  palo  fierro  tree  to  eat  its  dark 
green  juicy  leaves,  which  they  much  preferred.  They 
stretched  their  necks  like  giraffes  in  eager  competition 
and,  paying  no  heed  to  its  numerous  thorns,  they  pulled 
away  mouthfuls  of  leaves.  We  usually  cut  down  large 
branches,  Mexican  fashion,  from  which  they  could  feed 
more  comfortably.  The  palo  fierro  {olneya  tesota)  is  to 
one  who  travels  in  the  desert  the  most  useful  of  all  trees; 
whenever  it  is  to  be  found,  his  animals  are  sure  to  get 
something  good  to  eat,  and  the  man  who  gathers  wood 
for  the  camp  first  of  all  directs  his  steps  toward  it.  Usually 
some  of  its  branches  are  dry,  and  they  furnish  the  very 
best  camp-fire,  especially  for  cooking  purposes.  In  the 
cold  winter,  when  a  warm  fire  is  needed,  the  traveller 
should  look  for  a  dry  log  of  this  kind.    As  the  wood  is 


SAND-HILLS 


225 


extremely  hard — hence  its  name,  iron-wood — the  easiest 
way  to  fell  a  dry  tree  is  to  make  a  fire  round  the  base.  It 
ignites  easily  and  burns  the  whole  night  through  without 
any  further  attention.  During  many  months  of  travel  in 
the  desert,  I  was  always  thankful  when  I  caught  sight  of 
this  tree  which  harbors  so  much  comfort  for  man  and 
beast.  In  the  spring,  before  the  leaves  come  out,  it  has 
beautiful  flowers  of  the  pea  family. 

There  was,  of  course,  no  water  here,  but  at  this  time 
of  the  year  animals  that  are  being  worked  do  not  suffer 
from  going  a  couple  of  days  without  drinking.  In  the 
winter  at  Sonoita  the  horses  running  loose  in  the  neighbor- 
hood come  in  to  drink  only  every  fourth  day,  and  in  the 
summer  every  third  day.  For  our  own  consumption  we 
had  our  generous  barrels  which  we  refilled  when  occasion 
offered.  The  sand  was  temptingly  clean  and  made  a 
soft  bed,  all  the  men  delighting  in  it.  The  next  day  I  re- 
mained behind  with  the  guide  in  order  to  examine  the  sand 
dunes.  That  part  of  the  sand-dune  belt  where  we  were, 
south  of  Pinacate,  starts  only  twenty  to  twenty-five  miles 
east  of  there.  The  height  of  a  sand-hill  that  we  ascended 
was  one  hundred  and  eighty-five  feet,  both  my  aneroids 
giving  the  same  result.  I  calculated  the  length  of  its  base, 
which  was  measured  by  the  steps  of  our  horses,  to  be  at 
least  two  thousand  eight  hundred  feet.  There  were  others 
equally  high  or  higher.  Farther  west,  toward  Laguna 
Prieta,  are  found  the  highest  sand-hills,  but  they  would 
probably  not  be  much  above  two  hundred  feet,  if  measured. 
On  top  of  the  one  we  climbed,  an  absolute  calm  reigned. 
Toward  the  west  as  far  as  the  eye  could  detect  the  dunes 


226  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


extended,  like  the  sea  when  exposed  to  a  strong  gale  in 
appearance,  though  with  waves  much  more  irregular. 
The  large  ones,  forming  the  extreme  northern  part  of  the 
belt,  were  fewer  than  I  expected.  Southward  from  our 
hill  the  waves  first  became  considerably  smaller,  then 
grew  somewhat  higher  again  before  reaching  the  coast, 
where  they  ended  in  more  or  less  irregular  sand  flats  or 
low  hills.  The  sea  did  not  seem  more  than  eight  or  nine 
miles  away. 

The  Mexicans  use  the  euphonious  name  medanos 
for  the  sand  dunes,  great  and  small;  in  fact,  the  whole 
region  along  the  upper  part  of  the  Gulf  east  of  the  Colo- 
rado River  is  thus  designated.  The  name  has  an  almost 
mystic  sound,  suggesting  in  the  summer  aridity  and  dan- 
ger, fierce  heat,  rattlesnakes,  and  other  reptiles — in  the 
winter  cold  wind,  fog,  and  occasional  drizzling  rain. 

Most  Mexicans  are  afraid  of  los  medanos,  as  they 
themselves  have  told  me,  on  account  of  the  risk  of  losing 
animals  and  of  the  troubles  in  general  connected  with 
travel  there.  As  is  the  case  with  all  regions  about  which 
little  or  nothing  is  known,  the  sand  region  is  reputed  to 
harbor  fabulous  wealth  of  gold  and  silver  in  its  hill-tops 
and  mountain  ranges,  and  a  lonely  prospector  with  a 
couple  of  donkeys  sometimes  attempts  in  the  winter  an 
exploration  for  these  precious  metals.  His  expectations 
may  lead  him  farther  than  is  prudent,  and  his  canteens 
may  give  out  too  soon  for  him  to  have  time  to  return  for 
water.  There  is  nothing  depressing,  however,  about  the 
sand  dunes.  In  the  late  afternoon  sun,  when  seen  from 
the  north,  they  look  especially  picturesque,  running  one 


CURIOUS  BEHAVIOUR 


227 


after  the  other  in  long,  majestic,  though  somewhat  uneven, 
waves  of  Hght  roseate  hue. 

A  curious  feature  of  the  dunes  south  of  Pinacate  was 
a  remarkable  display  of  tracks  made  by  the  big  beetle  from 
which  the  whole  region  derived  its  Mexican  name.  These 
insects  (eleoJes),  of  which  the  body  may  be  over  an  inch 
in  length,  were  numerous  at  that  time  of  the  year  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  sand  dunes.  In  certain  localities 
they  are  the  principal  means  of  subsistence  for  the  coyote. 
They  wander  far  and  wide  on  the  sand,  leaving  surpris- 
ingly large  tracks,  most  of  which  are  fairly  straight.  The 
weather  had  been  calm  for  twenty-four  hours  at  least,  and 
the  tracks  were  even  more  distinct  than  those  seen  on  cold, 
hard  snow.  The  long  lines  ran  almost  parallel  to  each 
other  across  the  great  fans  of  sand  that  stretched  down 
from  the  tops  of  the  dunes.  Some  of  them  ran  upward, 
for  these  beetles  wander  to  the  very  summit.  One  of 
them  in  coming  down  the  slope  of  a  drift  had  amused  him- 
self in  going  in  a  spiral  line  for  many  yards  and  then 
continuing  in  his  ordinary  fashion.  The  beetle  to  which 
this  pictograph  was  due  was  undoubtedly  a  different 
species,  because  its  tracks  were  somewhat  lighter  and 
the  straight  line  less  pronounced.  Another  one  had  for 
many  yards  followed  the  ridge  of  a  sand  drift,  but  pro- 
gressing all  the  while  from  one  side  to  the  other,  and 
leaving  low,  hanging  festoons  from  the  top  of  the  ridge 
in  regular  serpentine  figure.  Only  one,  making  his  way 
very  straight  and  quite  fast  up  the  slope  toward  the  ridge 
on  which  we  stood,  was  actually  seen.  I  was  puzzled  as 
to  why  these  insects  should  go  up  there  on  the  sand 


228  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


dunes,  but,  whatever  their  reasons  were,  they  certainly 
left  in  their  wake  beautiful  decorative  marks  hundreds 
of  feet  long. 

The  pool  called  Tinaja  de  los  Chivos  was  reached 
on  a  slowly  rising  lava  flow  ten  miles  north  of  the  sand 
dunes.  There  is  no  grass  within  a  mile  or  two  of  this 
camp,  which  derives  its  Mexican  name  from  the  vulgar 
designation  of  mountain-sheep  as  chivos^  goats.  Fuel  is 
also  scarce  here.  It  is  the  largest  of  all  the  natural 
water  tanks  of  the  Pinacate  and  lasts  longer  than  the 
rest.  It  is  situated  at  the  junction  of  two  arroyos,  and 
at  one  of  them,  a  mile  away,  is  found  another  reservoir, 
called  Tinaja  del  Tule.  The  following  morning  the  sky 
was  overcast  with  stratus  and  light  nimbus  clouds,  and 
the  long  even  range  of  Lower  California  looked  quite 
impressive  in  the  hazy  atmosphere.  Before  sunrise  we 
had  a  beautiful  tanager-red  glow  which  extended  over 
the  western  horizon  before  it  assumed  a  blue  hue. 

In  order  to  reach  the  next  place  where  water  is 
found,  Tinaja  de  los  Papagos,  a  circuitous  route  has  to 
be  followed.  In  descending  to  the  dunes  again,  we 
found  a  very  good  track  which  led  to  the  head-quarters, 
four  miles  away,  of  the  former  sand-dune  people.  The 
trail  was  worn  a  foot  deep  in  places,  and  stones  had  been 
removed  to  smoothe  the  path  for  the  busy  feet  of  the 
women  who  had  to  go  this  distance  every  day  to  fill  their 
jars.  We  discovered  two  old  camps  at  the  edge  of  the 
dunes,  each  on  a  low  sand  ridge.  There  were  the  usual 
features  of  rude  corrals  of  stones,  but  the  sand  inside  of 
them  had  been  scooped  out,  leaving  a  hollow.  Some- 


Tracks  of  beetles  (Eleodes)  on  sand  dune 


OPPORTUNITY  LOST 


229 


times  pits  were  noticed  without  any  stones  around  them. 
On  a  plain  near  hy  feasts  and  ceremonies  had  in  former 
times  been  performed,  and  among  them  the  great  annual 
festival  which  is  now  given  at  Quitovac. 

The  afternoon  turned  out  to  be  moderately  warm 
and  calm,  the  sun  appearing  now  and  then,  and  the 
weather,  for  the  middle  of  January,  was  very  enjoyable. 
I  ascended  a  small  ridge  at  one  side  of  the  track  to  get 
a  better  view  of  a  crumbling  and  much  serrated  sierra 
which  appeared  in  front  of  us,  and  near  which  we  were 
going  to  camp.  It  showed  two  formations,  most  of  it 
the  usual  gray,  weather-worn  granite,  but  at  the  south- 
eastern end  an  intrusion  of  a  reddish  rock  had  taken 
place,  which  proved  afterward  to  consist  of  rhyolite  with 
an  oxydized  rim  of  red.  South  of  it  at  a  short  dis- 
tance stretched  a  low,  jagged  range,  half  buried  in  the 
sand.  To  the  north-east,  south  of  the  Gila  Range  and 
far  away  at  the  end  of  a  large  llano,  a  single  moun- 
tain was  seen.  It  looked  deep  blue  and,  having  no 
name,  we  called  it  Cerro  Pinto,  because  its  color  is  dif- 
ferent from  the  rest  of  the  mountains.  The  distant 
country  westward,  directly  in  front  of  us,  presented  a 
sea  of  sand  dunes  that  seemed  to  stretch  on  indefinitely, 
offering  a  fascinating  vista.  Just  as  the  sun,  breaking 
through  the  clouds,  covered  them  with  a  brilliant  white 
light,  I  turned  around  to  secure  my  camera,  and  in  doing 
so  was  delayed  scarcely  a  minute,  but  when  I  looked 
again  westward,  while  adjusting  my  kodak,  all  the 
magic  of  the  scene  was  gone — the  sun  was  hidden  from 
view  and  all  chance  of  photography  over,  though  I 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


waited  half  an  hour  for  another.  An  opportunity  to 
take  such  a  picture  never  did  return  as  long  as  the  expe- 
dition lasted.  The  lesson  I  learned  from  this  is  appre- 
ciated by  every  one  who  is  interested  in  photographing, 
and  that  is  to  be  ever  ready  at  the  very  moment  the 
opportunity  offers  itself. 

While  our  animals  were  taken  the  next  day  for  water 
to  the  tinaja  ten  miles  away,  I  spent  a  day  at  the  base  of 
the  much  serrated  sierra  in  order  to  examine  this  moun- 
tain range  as  well  as  the  other  one  that  is  partly  buried 
in  the  sand.  I  named  the  first  one  Sierra  Extrana 
(Strange  Sierra),  because  its  gray  color  with  a  tinge  of 
green  seemed  so  strange  to  us  after  having  been  so  long 
accustomed  to  the  dark  lava.  It  is  only  about  six  miles 
long,  running  in  the  main  direction  of  the  rest  of  the 
mountain  ranges.  The  outer  granite  is  crumbling  more 
than  on  any  other  sierra  observed  on  the  journey,  hence  its 
native  name,  kokomaleke  (small  stone  blocks).  It  is  de- 
void of  vegetation  except  for  a  few  struggling  ocotillos  and 
greasewoods,  and  a  sangrengado  now  and  then.  On  the 
south-western  side  the  wind  has  blown  up  the  sand  some- 
what on  the  sides,  but,  seen  against  the  dark  background 
of  Pinacate,  the  little  range  with  its  exaggerated  serra- 
tion shows  to  advantage.  The  other  sierra,  which  I  called 
Sierra  Enterada  (Buried  Sierra),  some  six  miles  south  of 
it,  is  nearly  the  same  length,  but  lower,  the  crest  reach- 
ing an  elevation  of  about  one  thousand  two  hundred  feet, 
three-quarters  of  it  being  buried  in  the  sand  dunes.  From 
the  top  we  could  plainly  discern  the  fresh  tracks  of  a 
horse,  leading  westward  through  the  great  waste  of  sand. 


A  FEARLESS  BIRD 


231 


My  guide  thought  that  a  sohtary  Indian  called  Carava- 
jales,  one  of  the  former  sand  people  who  persists  in  liv- 
ing out  there,  had  passed.  This  hermit  makes  his  head- 
quarters at  the  Tinaja  de  los  Papagos. 

In  the  low  sand  dunes  among  the  greasewood  bushes 
I  noticed  once  or  twice  a  tiny  spray  of  sand  being  thrown 
up  as  if  caused  by  an  ant  lion,  but  the  insect  could  not 
be  found.  I  later  came  across  a  small  representative  of 
animal  life  here,  a  roach  with  long  legs,  which  was  known 
to  my  guide  as  found  among  the  sand  dunes,  though 
he  said  it  was  rare.  A  mocking-bird  {mimus),  very 
inquisitive  and  which  had  evidently  never  seen  people 
before,  arrived  in  our  camp  and  moved  about  fearlessly, 
passing  my  camera  within  four  feet.  It  actually  alighted 
on  the  toe  of  the  shoe  of  one  of  the  Mexicans  who  was 
sitting  on  the  ground  and  next  settled  on  the  rim  of  a 
large  dish,  dipping  itself  repeatedly  in  the  water  and 
drinking  of  it.  These  birds  are  often  seen  far  from 
water. 

Six  miles  before  arriving  at  Tinaja  de  los  Papagos 
we  passed  numerous  burrows  of  the  badger.  This  ani- 
mal, too,  does  not  seem  to  care  much  as  to  whether  he 
lives  near  water  or  not.  When  we  came  to  the  abode 
of  the  Indian  hermit,  Caravajales,  who  would  have  been 
a  useful  man  to  take  along  through  the  western  desert, 
we  found  him  to  be  absent.  After  sunset  hundreds  of 
pigeons  came  in  a  steady  stream  to  drink,  settling  first 
on  the  rocks  for  several  minutes  before  finally  flying  to 
the  pools,  two  of  which  at  that  time  contained  water; 
the  stony  sides  of  the  latter  were  literally  covered  with 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


the  birds,  and  after  dark  the  last  ones  flew  away.  There 
are  three  pools  in  this  wild-looking  arroyo,  which  at  the 
time  of  showers  gather  the  precipitation  for  many  miles 
up  in  the  lava  flow.  The  middle  one  was  dry  and  the 
water  in  the  others  was  low.  The  lower  one,  nearest 
our  camp  and  very  accessible  for  the  animals,  could  not 
then,  according  to  our  guide's  calculation,  be  made  dry 
by  three  hundred  head  of  cattle  drinking  at  one  time. 
Water  can  usually  be  depended  upon  at  this  camp. 

The  watercourse,  from  forty  to  sixty  paces  wide,  can 
easily  be  made  out  on  the  big  hard  andesite  boulders 
from  a  distance,  and,  on  examining  the  surface,  it  is 
found  to  be  actually  polished  by  the  action  of  water 
and  has  rather  a  faded  color.  That  such  should  be  the 
case  is  very  remarkable,  considering  the  extreme  hard- 
ness of  the  rock  and  the  great  length  of  time  that  would 
be  needed  to  accomplish  this  effect,  if  the  water  were 
supplied  only  from  a  few  showers  in  July  and  August. 
This  seems  to  me  another  proof  of  the  climatic  change 
that  has  taken  place  in  the  desert  region  of  Arizona 
and  Sonora,  the  polish  of  the  rocks  probably  dating 
from  a  comparatively  recent  time  when  precipitation 
was  more  abundant. 

The  next  day  a  tour  was  made  to  a  large  and  beautiful 
crater,  two  and  a  half  miles  north-east  of  the  tinaja,  to 
which  a  fairly  good  track  leads.  In  the  morning  before 
sunrise  the  same  phenomenon  of  sunlight  by  refraction 
that  I  had  noted  twice  before  was  observed,  though  the 
coloring  was  stronger;  it  was  very  noticeable  in  my  tent, 
the  light  beginning  twenty  minutes  before  sunrise  and 


The  watercourse  at  Tinaja  de  Los  Papagos 


A  DESERTED  HABITATION 


233 


fading  away  a  few  minutes  before  the  sun  rose,  and  it 
was  strongest  twelve  minutes  before  the  actual  appearance 
of  the  sun. 

Half  a  mile  from  the  pools  I  photographed  an  Indian 
habitation,  of  which  there  are  several  in  the  neighborhood. 
They  seem  to  be  more  recently  deserted  than  others  met 
with  before;  in  fact,  as  stated  above,  one  man  still  has  his 
abode  there.  The  corral,  or  sleeping  place  of  the  family, 
was  made  up  of  a  few  stones  and  uprooted  tovoso  bushes 
placed  in  a  circle.  Between  the  stems  of  an  ocotillo  was 
a  platform  consisting  of  a  layer  of  white  brittle  bush  and 
tovoso.  This  had  served  as  a  shelf  for  jars  and  other 
cooking  utensils.  Though  several  years  must  have  elapsed 
since  this  place  was  occupied,  Clodomiro  found  an  old 
spade  hidden  under  the  platform  and  some  medicinal 
herbs,  the  latter  wrapped  in  a  cotton  cloth. 

The  crater  is  very  easily  approached.  The  rim  is  one 
hundred  and  thirty  feet  high  at  the  place  we  ascended, 
which  was  at  its  highest  point.  To  descend  either  from 
the  south  or  the  west  into  the  crater  involves  no  diffi- 
culty; it  took  Clodomiro,  the  guide,  only  twenty  minutes 
to  do  so  from  the  south.  I  have  been  down  twice  at  this 
side  to  an  embankment  that  runs  around  the  crater  inside 
just  above  where  the  talus  begins.  Measured  by  the 
aneroid  barometer,  this  is  two  hundred  and  eighty  feet 
down,  and  less  than  ten  minutes  are  needed  for  the  descent 
as  one  slides  along  on  the  cinders.  The  depth,  taken  by 
Mr.  G.  Sykes  in  1907,  seven  hundred  and  thirty  feet,  ap- 
pears correct.  He  found  the  diameter  at  the  bottom  to  be 
one  thousand  four  hundred  feet,  and  the  bottom  one  hun- 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


dred  and  fifty  feet  above  sea-level.  It  is  a  beautiful  and 
impressive  crater,  and  was  first  visited  in  1882  by  Sr. 
Y.  Bonillas,  the  mining  engineer  in  Nogales.  In  grandeur 
and  regularity  of  shape  it  is  in  the  Pinacate  region  second 
only  to  Crater  Elegante.  There  are  several  large  craters 
in  the  Pinacate  region,  but  none  as  perfect  in  shape  as  these 
two,  which  present  very  clearly  the  phenomena  connected 
with  their  structure  and  origin  and  must  be  of  unusual 
interest  to  geology. 

Clodomiro  tried  in  vain  to  start  out  some  mountain- 
sheep  from  below  for  me  to  photograph.  He  heard  dis- 
tinctly the  noise  of  rolling  stones  in  the  great  talus  and 
my  attention  was  called  in  the  same  way.  But  it  is 
strangely  difficult  to  see  the  sheep  under  such  conditions, 
as  their  color  is  so  much  like  their  surroundings,  and,  as 
the  Mexicans  said,  *'they  stop  behind  the  stones  and  you 
cannot  see  them."  Clodomiro  scaled  the  talus  almost 
opposite  to  where  he  had  made  his  descent,  reaching  the 
ledge  that  led  to  my  point  of  observation,  from  which  we 
again  ascended  to  the  rim.  He  saw  many  fresh  tracks  at 
the  bottom,  all  of  them  being,  according  to  him,  those  of 
females  with  young.  During  the  entire  year  the  moun- 
tain-sheep are  in  the  habit  of  going  down  into  the  craters, 
but  they  are  more  prone  to  go  there  during  the  winter, 
when  they  have  their  young,  which  is  said  to  be  in  Novem- 
ber. The  vegetation  below  was  the  kind  described  at  the 
time  of  our  visit  to  Crater  Elegante,  and  in  addition  there 
were  many  choyas  seen.  Both  galleta  grass  and  the  fine 
grass  called  sacate  fino^  or  sacate  de  lievre^  were  observed 
there. 


CHAPTER  XV 


WESTWARD— LOOKING  BACK  TOWARD  PINACATE— TINAJAS  ALTAS 
—ITS  DISMAL  MEMORIES— SUNSHINE  AND  MOONLIGHT  OF  THE 
EARLY  MORNING— EL  CAPITAN— LAGUNA  PRIETA,  A  SALT  LAKE 
—A  LONG  WAIT  FOR  WATER— HOW  FRESH  WATER  APPEARS 
AMONG  BULRUSHES— APPROACHING  THE  COLORADO  RIVER— 
COLONIA  LERDO— THE  INDIANS  AT  THE  LOWER  PART  OF  THE 
GREAT  RIVER 

On  Thursday,  January  20,  a  start  for  the  Colorado 
River  was  made.  Our  guide,  Clodomiro  Lopez,  and  his 
brother,  having  first  by  explorations  ascertained  that  it 
was  feasible  to  do  so,  had  taken  several  herds  of  cattle 
from  Sonoita  over  our  present  camp  to  Laguna  Prieta  and 
from  there  to  Colonia  Lerdo  on  the  Colorado  River,  their 
first  trip  having  been  made  in  October  four  years  before. 
There  are  about  eighty  miles  without  water  by  the  route 
which  he  chose  and  which  is  the  straightest,  and  the 
undertaking  would  have  been  impossible  but  for  his  dis- 
covery of  a  small  tinaja  (natural  tank)  in  Sierra  de  Lechu- 
gilla;  even  thus  the  risks  taken  were  considerable,  and 
many  of  the  cattle  died  from  thirst. 

The  question  for  us  to  decide  was  whether  we  should 
follow  the  same  route,  hoping  that  there  might  be  water 
in  the  Lechugilla  tank,  or  whether  we  should  take  the  more 
circuitous  one  over  Tinaja  del  Tule  and  Tinajas  Altas. 
Clodomiro,  the  guide,  maintained  that  even  though  the 
tank  lasts  only  for  three  months,  our  chances  for  finding 
water  there  were  good,  and  even  if  it  should  turn  out  to  be 

23s 


236  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


dry,  we  could  reach  Tinajas  Altas  in  three  days  without 
water.  I  was  incHned  to  accept  the  guide's  opinion  inas- 
much as  our  animals  were  in  good  condition  after  their 
long  rest  in  Pinacate,  but  Alberto,  who  was  the  owner  of 
some  of  them,  was  little  inclined  to  take  any  chances, 
and  as  I  should  be  able  by  the  safer  route  to  cover 
more  ground,  some  of  it  of  considerable  interest  to  me,  I 
chose  that  one. 

The  sand  dunes  which  stretch  northward  from  the 
main  belt,  at  no  great  distance  west  of  Pinacate,  are  easily 
crossed.  The  long,  low  ridges  run  here  in  a  general  di- 
rection of  north  and  south,  forming  a  belt  four  miles  and  a 
half  wide.  The  highest  point  reached  was,  according  to 
my  aneroid,  about  one  thousand  four  hundred  feet.  In 
crossing  this  belt  from  the  east  one  ascends  very  gradually; 
after  a  while  small  ridges,  from  a  quarter  to  a  half  mile 
long,  appear  for  about  a  mile;  then  for  two  and  a  half  miles 
the  ridges  are  larger  though  low,  a  mile  or  two,  or  more, 
long,  and  there  is  half  a  mile  between  each  one.  The  last 
ones  are  the  largest.  I  found  the  sand  to  contain  moisture 
six  inches  below  the  surface,  and  at  one  place  I  gathered 
some  of  the  beautiful  large  white  flowers  with  which  I  be- 
came familiar  later  {Oenothera  trichocalyx). 

After  a  comfortable  night  spent  on  the  outskirts  of  the 
sand  dunes  we  proceeded  in  a  northerly  direction  between 
two  mountain  ranges,  to  the  east  Sierra  del  Tuseral,  about 
thirty-five  miles  long,  and  to  the  west  a  sierra  without 
name,  about  seven  miles  long  and  running  toward  the 
first  one  in  an  unusual  northerly  course.  As  this  moun- 
tain range  looked  singularly  picturesque  viewed  from  the 


A  BEAUTIFUL  VIEW 


237 


north-west,  I  have  named  it  Sierra  Nina  for  my  friend, 
Mrs.  John  Gray,  of  Boston.  Where  these  two  ranges 
approach  each  other  there  are  two  passes,  formed  by  a 
small  intervening  mountain;  the  western  pass  is  the  nar- 
rower, and  I  named  the  eastern,  which  is  quite  beautiful, 
Paso  de  Juana,  for  my  friend,  Mrs.  David  Lydig,  of  New 
York. 

This  pass  is  only  three  hundred  feet  higher  than  the 
sand  dunes  we  crossed,  and  the  ascent  is  very  gradual, 
but,  as  one  looks  backward  on  approaching  the  pass,  one 
has,  on  account  of  the  varied  colors,  a  surprisingly  fine 
view,  enclosed  between  the  two  mountain  ranges  as  if  in 
a  frame.  The  different  shades  of  green  in  the  desert 
vegetation,  from  the  light  one  of  the  sahuaro  and  the  oco- 
tillo  to  the  very  sombre  one  of  the  greasewood,  are  bor- 
dered by  these  two  light  gray  diverging  sierras,  and  some 
dark  reddish  foot-hills  in  the  foreground  add  to  the  variety. 
Then  follows  transversely  the  light  roseate  hue  of  the  sand 
belt  and,  above  all,  rises  in  the  distant  background,  the 
dark  mass  of  the  Pinacate  Mountains,  appearing  quite 
lofty  through  the  pure  air  against  the  azure  sky. 

At  Tinaja  del  Tule  we  were  again  on  the  old  trail 
from  Caborca  to  Yuma,  where  we  watered  our  animals 
and  filled  our  barrels.  The  pool  is  half  a  mile  up  a 
narrow  gorge  and  I  was  surprised  at  its  small  volume, 
only  twelve  feet  in  diameter  and  three  feet  deep  in  the 
middle.  Still,  as  it  is  in  sand,  it  contains  somewhat 
more  water  than  is  apparent,  and  it  would  cover  a  horse 
standing  in  it.  There  are  some  smaller  tanks  higher  up 
in  the  gorge  which  at  times  have  water.    As  soon  as 


238  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 

our  thirsty  crew  had  been  satisfied  and  had  departed, 
two  butterflies  ahghted  on  the  wet  sand,  one  of  medium 
size  and  brown,  the  other  a  small  blue  one.  It  was 
just  noon  and  the  canon  felt  pleasantly  warm  at  74°  F. 

The  landscape  which  from  here  on  presents  many 
sierras,  at  first  near  and  then  far,  looked  attractive  in 
the  afternoon  sun,  making  the  mountains  impressive 
and  seem  much  larger  than  they  were  in  reality.  We 
camped  on  the  extensive  llano  bordering  the  Gila  Range 
toward  the  east,  near  a  palo  fierro  tree  of  unique  size, 
which  rises  in  lonely  grandeur  above  the  lowly  grease- 
woods  and  is  visible  at  a  great  distance.  According  to 
the  Mexicans,  a  whole  family  of  fourteen  was  wiped  out 
here  by  the  Papago  Indians  forty  years  ago;  the  Apaches 
never  came  so  far  west.  Whether  such  is  the  case,  or 
whether,  as  another  report  has  it,  the  family  perished  from 
lack  of  water,  their  graves  are  to  be  seen  near  by  marked 
by  small  stones  placed  in  the  surface  so  as  to  form  crosses. 
There  is  no  water  here,  but  enough  grass,  both  galleta  and 
sacate  fino,  for  pasture. 

The  soil  on  the  llano  was  moist  underneath  the  sur- 
face which  told  us  that  during  the  stormy  days  of  abor- 
tive attempts  at  rain,  which  we  had  experienced  at  the 
end  of  the  year,  rain  had  actually  fallen  here.*  It  fur- 
ther indicated  that  we  should  probably  have  found 
water  in  the  small  pool  discovered  by  my  guide  in  Sierra 
de  Lechugilla,  if  we  had  chosen  the  more  direct  route 

*  According  to  the  reports  of  United  States  Weather  Bureau,  the  rainfall  at 
Yuma,  which  is  sixty  miles  from  here,  was  on  December  31,  1909,  only  inch, 
and  on  January  2,  191 1,  there  fell  j-^^  inch. 


A  NOTED  CAMP 


239 


to  TInajas  Altas.  For  the  possible  use  of  some  future 
traveller,  I  give  here  its  location  as  it  was  described  to 
me.  It  is  on  the  western  side  of  the  Sierra  de  Lechu- 
gilla,  at  the  base  of  the  highest  top,  and  is  situated  at 
a  point  which  from  the  north  is  one-third  of  the  length 
of  the  entire  range. 

As  one  approaches  Tinajas  Altas,  little  by  little  as- 
cending from  the  llano  that  stretches  northward  as  far 
as  the  eye  can  follow,  a  beautiful  view  is  had  of  the 
mountains  left  behind,  and  among  them  the  picturesque 
range  called  Cabeza  Prieta  and  the  Tordillo  Mountains, 
both  of  delicate  light  gray  color  with  curious  intrusions 
of  very  dark  reddish  rocks  of  volcanic  origin.  The  range 
derives  its  name,  which  means  black  head,"  from  this 
strange  contrast  of  color. 

Tinajas  Altas  is  a  landmark  in  the  local  and  recent 
history  of  that  desolate  region.  It  is  a  dismal  looking 
place  and,  after  having  been  accustomed  to  the  absolute 
cleanliness  of  nature,  the  experience  of  again  meeting 
with  pieces  of  cast-off  clothing,  rusty  tin  cans,  and  other 
cheerless  marks  of  human  occupancy  which  were  apparent 
here  was  not  a  pleasing  one.  There  is  a  large  space  for 
camping  at  the  lower  end  of  the  little  valley  which  begins 
at  the  foot  of  the  mountains  where  the  principal  pool  is. 
An  embankment  of  gravelly  detritus  shuts  off  the  view 
toward  the  east,  while  high  granite  rocks,  bare  and  hard, 
rise  forbiddingly  on  the  other  sides.  Large  boulders  which 
were  once  detached  from  the  rocks  above  are  lying  at  the 
base  of  the  steep  mountain  sides. 

As  a  curious  bit  of  information  from  the  desert  I 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


may  mention  that  at  this  camp,  on  January  23,  I  was 
bitten  by  a  mosquito,  a  few  large  ones  being  about. 
The  sierra  is  probably  at  this  place  narrower  than  else- 
where, though  it  must  be  nearly  a  mile  across.  When 
rain  falls  the  formation  is  such  as  to  favor  the  gathering 
of  water  into  one  stream  which  rushes  down  the  eastern 
side  and  is  retained  in  eight  natural  cavities,  one  above 
the  other.  The  lowest  tank  is  very  accessible,  but  the 
rest  are  not,  and  there  are  stories  of  people  having  nearly 
come  to  grief  on  attempting  to  climb  the  steep  and  slip- 
pery sides.  My  guide  told  of  a  mountain-sheep  that 
once,  when  cornered,  tumbled  down  in  trying  to  escape 
and  fell  into  the  lowest  tank.  A  prospector  in  Tucson, 
who  ascended  to  the  top,  described  to  me  a  large  sand 
basin  above  the  tinajas,  a  few  hundred  feet  south  of 
which  are  a  number  of  caves  where  pictographs  are  seen 
as  well  as  pounding-holes  in  the  rocks.  Not  having 
been  there  myself,  I  give  the  information  with  reserve. 
The  sand  Papagoes  had  an  important  camp  at  Tinajas 
Altas.  The  native  name  of  the  place  is  Oovuak,  where 
arrows  (60)  were  shot  (vuak).''  Two  of  their  hero  gods 
shot  arrows  from  each  side  of  the  range;  one  did  shoot 
across,  but  where  the  arrow  of  the  other  one  fell  the  pools 
came  forth. 

Until  recently  mountain-sheep  were  extremely  com- 
mon here.  Travellers,  who  in  our  days  pass  only  at 
long  intervals,  used  to  shoot  them  without  any  difficulty. 
On  one  of  the  three  occasions  that  I  visited  this  place 
a  sheep  watched  us  from  the  crest  above  for  many  min- 
utes.   Their  number  has  of  late  greatly  decreased.  Ten 


Filling  our  barrels  and  canteens  at  Tinaja  del  Tule 


NUMBERS  OF  MOUNTAIN-SHEEP 


241 


years  ago,  when  the  guide  and  his  brother  rested  here  in 
the  middle  of  the  day,  they  noticed  sheep  around  the 
upper  pool;  the  animals  were  having  a  siesta,  but  scenting 
intruders  began  to  move  off,  walking  up  the  mountains 
in  a  steady  stream  of  forty-five  by  actual  count.  From 
curiosity  the  Mexicans  climbed  up  to  take  a  general  look 
at  things,  and  were  astonished  at  the  exceedingly  strong 
odor  left  in  the  camping  place  of  the  sheep.  On  an- 
other occasion,  in  the  winter,  the  brothers  heard  during 
the  night  a  great  deal  of  noise  from  the  tops  of  the  rocks 
that  rise  immediately  above  the  camp.  The  sheep  were 
tramping  on  the  hard  granite  as  if  they  were  horses  with 
iron  shoes.  It  seemed  uncanny  to  the  men,  and  they 
thought  of  the  many  dead  buried  here;  they  began  to 
imagine  that  perhaps  the  dead  were  moving  about,  and 
wrapped  their  blankets  tighter  around  themselves.  Clo- 
domiro,  who  otherwise  is  no  coward,  assured  me  that 
he  would  not  care  to  sleep  alone  at  this  place,  and  Al- 
berto quite  agreed  with  him. 

The  locality  harbors  many  unpleasant  memories;  in 
the  days  of  the  California  gold  excitement,  as  well  as 
later,  many  people  passed  by  here,  and  the  lowest  and 
most  accessible  pool  did  not  last  very  long.  Too  ex- 
hausted to  climb  higher  up,  many  died  from  thirst. 
Capt.  D.  D.  Gaillard,  of  the  International  Boundary 
Commission,  relates  a  pathetic  story  of  three  exhausted 
prospectors  who  perished  at  the  foot  of  the  almost  ver- 
tical slope;  their  bodies  were  discovered  a  few  days 
later,  the  fingers  worn  to  the  bones  in  their  dying  efforts 
to  reach  water  which  was  found  in  abundance  in  the 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


tank  above.  Others  would  fight  for  the  possession  of 
the  water  and  kill  each  other.  People  were  murdered 
who  were  suspected  of  carrying  gold  or  other  valuable 
possessions.  The  dead  were  buried  on  the  top  of  the 
embankment  that  shuts  off  the  view  toward  the  east. 
A  small  cross  of  stones  embedded  in  the  ground  indi- 
cates where  a  person  is  buried  underneath.  We  counted 
fifty-four  of  such  crosses  here;  time  has  perhaps  de- 
stroyed as  many  more  and  there  were  many,  no  doubt, 
who  were  buried  without  any  sign  to  mark  the  spot. 
Holes  had  been  dug  in  the  ground  at  three  or  four  places 
in  the  hopes  of  finding  riches,  for  tradition  has  it  that 
travellers,  their  animals  having  given  out  or  for  other 
reasons,  buried  their  treasures  here,  and  even  the  camp- 
ing place  had  been  searched  for  these. 

On  the  day  of  our  departure  for  the  Colorado  River 
we  coaxed  our  mules  and  horses  in  vain  to  drink;  they 
had  satisfied  their  thirst  the  day  before  and  did  not  care 
for  any  more  the  next  morning.  The  burros,  however, 
which  on  the  whole  seem  able  to  take  better  care  of 
themselves,  went  to  the  pool  voluntarily  and  prepared 
for  the  day  by  drinking.  The  sierra  is  easily  crossed 
by  a  circuitous  route  a  little  farther  north  which  finally 
takes  one  through  a  natural  pass.  Coming  out  on  the 
western  side,  that  which  appears  most  striking  is  a  pict- 
uresque sierra  rising  boldly  from  among  great  sand 
dunes  toward  the  south.  It  can  also  be  seen  from  Pina- 
cate  and  from  the  Colorado  River.  It  looked  deep  blue 
in  the  hazy  and  calm  afternoon  as  we  began  to  leave 
it  behind.    Though  not  visited  by  whites,  according  to 


UNUSUAL  SUNRISE 


243 


reports,  this  mountain  range  has  received  various  names, 
of  which  the  most  appropriate  is  Sierra  del  Rosario. 

The  next  morning,  Tuesday,  January  25,  I  again, 
and  for  the  fourth  time,  saw  sunshine  by  refraction,  and 
this  time  along  with  the  moonhght  of  the  early  morning. 
The  sun  shone  into  my  tent,  the  opening  of  which  looked 
toward  the  north-east,  for  twenty-three  minutes  before  it 
rose,  and  the  full  moon  was  bright  at  the  same  time  for 
five  minutes.  Although  the  coloring  in  general  was  light 
orange  red,  and  in  the  east  brilliantly  so,  the  moon  was 
surrounded  by  a  deep  blue  light.  During  the  night  there 
had  been  a  strong  breeze  from  the  north  which  had 
died  out,  and  a  light  air  current  only  from  the  same 
direction  remained.  There  were  cirrus  and  stratus 
clouds  about;  the  atmosphere  became  more  and  more 
hazy,  and  when  the  moon  set,  which  was  as  far  as  it 
was  possible  to  judge  correctly,  eleven  minutes  before 
seven,  the  atmosphere  was  so  hazy  that  one  could  fancy 
oneself  at  a  seaport  instead  of  in  a  dry  desert.  Although 
a  moderate  northern  gale  sprang  up  at  ten  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  the  atmosphere  continued  hazy. 

We  passed  Monument  194  and  continued  our  course 
toward  a  lonely  hill  which  had  been  visible  on  the  west- 
ern horizon  since  our  exit  from  the  sierra.  For  future 
travellers  this  is  a  very  important  landmark;  it  leads  in 
the  right  direction  toward  Laguna  Prieta,  where  the  first 
fresh  water  will  be  found  after  leaving  Tinajas  Altas. 
I  called  this  mountain  El  Capitan. 

The  extensive  flat  country  over  which  we  passed  slopes 
gradually  down  to  the  sand  dunes.    In  parts  it  consists 


244 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


of  small  fertile  basins  where  sunflowers  {encelia  erioce- 
phala)  and  two  kinds  of  herha  del  negro,  sphceralcea 
incana  and  j.  oruttii,  grew,  especially  the  latter,  which 
appeared  in  great  numbers.  Though  waterless,  the  re- 
gion has  in  a  few  places,  as  for  instance  near  El  Capitan, 
excellent  pasturage  and  this  favorable  condition  continues 
almost  up  to  the  Colorado  River;  at  first  our  animals 
depended  upon  the  coarse  galleta  grass  which  was  then 
green,  but  beyond  Laguna  Prieta  there  appeared  more 
of  the  delicate  looking  grass  called  sacate  fino,  which 
grows  desert-fashion,  each  plant  widely  separated  from 
the  other,  and  is  much  liked  by  cattle  and  horses. 

El  Capitan  is  in  reality  several  hills.  Of  the  two 
nearest  to  our  approach,  the  south-eastern  one.  El  Capi- 
tan proper,  consists  of  slate;  the  other  one  is  a  limestone 
formation,  in  horizontal,  varicolored  streaks  of  white, 
brown,  and  slate.  For  about  a  mile  before  reaching  El 
Capitan  we  crossed  small  mesas  covered  with  smooth, 
very  pretty,  water-worn  pebbles,  of  jasper  and  quartz, 
which  my  men  eagerly  gathered  as  curios.  They  were 
also  observed  later  by  the  thousands  in  similar  localities 
as  far  as  the  Colorado  River,  and  were  souvenirs  of  a 
time  when  that  whole  country  was  under  the  sea. 

To  reach  Laguna  Prieta  was  a  more  laborious  task 
than  we  had  expected.  It  seemed  a  long  distance,  and 
as  the  guide  and  I  rode  along  behind  the  rest  of  the 
party,  I  expressed  my  astonishment  at  his  feat  of  having 
taken  cattle  over  this  route  and  successfully  arriving  at 
the  Colorado  River.  No  tracks  were  to  be  seen  any 
more  except  indistinctly  at  one  place,  as  the  wind  soon 


Lacuna  Prieta,  from  the  east 


In  the  sand  dunes  before  arriving  at  Lacuna  Prieta 


A  PRECARIOUS  UNDERTAKING 


obliterates  them.  Clodomiro  told  me  the  cattle  were 
driven  by  him  and  his  companions  from  Tinaja  de  los 
Papagos  in  a  direct  line  over  the  sand  dunes,  passing 
the  southern  point  of  Sierra  del  Viejo,  to  the  small  pond 
in  Sierra  de  Lechugilla,  but  they  were  too  weak  to  reach 
the  water  which  is  not  very  accessible.  The  horses  only 
could  get  at  it,  and  a  detour  for  water  for  the  cattle  had 
to  be  made  to  Tinajas  Altas.  Six  days  were  consumed  by 
the  journey  to  Laguna  Prieta,  the  majority  of  the  cattle 
arriving  safely,  though  every  day  some  dropped  behind 
to  die  from  thirst.  From  sunrise  to  sunset  the  cattle 
walked  slowly  in  single  file  and  scattering  to  eat  wherever 
grass  appeared.  A  halt  was  made  at  night  when  the  men 
watched  them.  On  a  later  occasion  a  hundred  remained 
behind,  and  at  the  last  undertaking  of  this  kind  by  other 
herdsmen,  the  whole  herd  was  abandoned  near  Cerro  Pri- 
eto,  most  of  them  finding  their  way  back  to  Agva  Salada. 

For  the  last  three  miles  before  reaching  Laguna 
Prieta  we  crossed  the  western  extremity  of  the  sand 
dunes,  which  attain  their  greatest  height  here,  two  or 
three  of  the  hills  being  at  least  two  hundred  feet  high. 
The  lake  is  at  the  edge  of  the  big  dunes  on  their  southern 
side,  and  the  comparatively  large  sheet  of  water  made  a 
pleasing  impression.  Just  as  we  descended  toward  it  a 
white  coyote  was  observed  running  away  from  the  shore. 
At  first  sight,  we  took  it  for  a  peHcan;  my  unruly  mule 
prevented  me  from  getting  my  field-glass  quickly  enough, 
but  the  Mexican  who  rode  behind  me  saw  distinctly  that 
the  apparition  had  four  legs.  An  albino  coyote,  which 
was  very  shy,  was  once  seen  near  Caborca, 


246  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


Camp  was  made  on  a  slightly  elevated  ground  near 
the  shore  at  the  south-west  end  of  the  lake.  Two  large 
mezqulte  trees  were  growing  here;  they  were  rather  ab- 
ject looking  as  they  had  no  leaves,  but  the  guide  had 
seen  them  with  beautiful  foliage  in  the  month  of  May. 
Laguna  Prieta  is  a  salt  water  lake,  but  on  the  marshy 
shore  an  abundance  of  fresh  water  may  be  found  by  dig- 
ging in  the  extensive  growth  of  typha  lattpholia,  popu- 
larly called  bulrushes,  which  are  thriving  here;  the  Mex- 
icans call  them  tule.  At  three  places  the  earth  had  been 
dug  away  so  as  to  make  troughs  two  feet  deep,  twelve 
feet  long  and  six  feet  wide,  which  were  full  of  clear  water. 
Many  years  ago,  I  understand,  attempts  at  cattle  raising 
were  made  by  people  from  the  Colorado  River  with  this 
water  as  base  for  operations.  The  water,  though  slightly 
brackish,  does  not  taste  bad,  but  among  the  Mexicans 
of  Colonia  Lerdo  it  is  reputed  to  have  an  ill  effect  on 
horses,  as  some  of  them  when  thirsty  have  been  known 
to  die  from  drinking  it. 

The  lake  is  half  a  mile  long  and  slightly  less  than 
that  distance  wide,  running  from  south-west  to  north- 
east. Birds  from  the  sea  were  swimming  in  the  water 
which,  according  to  the  guide,  becomes  very  low  in 
May.  The  shores  are  soft  and  along  the  south-western 
part  overgrown  with  bulrushes  and  reeds,  while  on  the 
northern  part  the  arrowbush  is  found.  Our  mules  and 
horses  had  had  no  water  to  drink  for  seventy-six  hours,  so 
I  remained  here  a  day  in  order  to  give  them  a  rest. 

In  the  first  evening  spent  here,  Thursday,  January 
27,  Venus  on  nearing  the  horizon  shone  with  a  reddish 


CONTINGENCIES  OF  THE  DESERT 


twinkling  or  scintillating  light.  I  do  not  know  whether 
this  had  been  the  case  for  some  time  or  not — perhaps 
not,  for  usually  in  the  evenings  I  cast  a  few  observing 
glances  around  the  heavens.  The  following  evening  the 
planet  on  approaching  the  horizon  at  three  or  four  de- 
grees assumed  this  same  color  which  was  very  notice- 
able when  only  a  couple  of  degrees  above  it. 

The  first  day's  travel  over  low  sand  dunes  from  La- 
guna  Prieta  was  rather  heavy,  and  our  horses  began  to 
give  out.  Fortunately,  as  we  reached  a  llano  toward 
sunset,  we  came  upon  patches  of  grass.  The  only  wood 
available  consisted  in  old  stumps  of  the  curious  canu- 
tillo  {ephedra)  which  now  made  its  first  appearance.  It 
is  one  of  the  lowest  types  of  the  flowering  plants  with 
only  rudimentary  flowers,  and  in  spite  of  its  appearance 
is  not  related  to  the  pines.  On  account  of  much  resin- 
ous matter  which  it  contains,  the  plant  enjoys  a  great 
reputation  among  Mexicans  as  a  remedy  to  be  taken 
internally  against  a  certain  contagious  disease.  Fuel  re- 
sources being  rare  on  the  coast,  the  canutillo  is  very 
useful  for  making  fire.  It  burns  lustily  for  a  little  while, 
but  as  it  makes  no  charcoal,  we  could  not  boil  beans 
by  it;  tortillas,  however,  may  be  made  with  some  little 
trouble.  I  picked  up  two  long-stalked  puff  balls  {baU 
tarea)  which  were  growing  in  the  shade  of  a  chamiso. 
They  were  dry,  but  the  sand  was  moist  around  the 
roots,  two  and  a  half  inches  below  the  surface. 

Already  at  El  Capitan  we  had  seen  rising  in  the  west 
a  thick  column  of  smoke.  The  Indians  were  burning 
dry  reeds,  bushes,  and  old  grass  along  the  Colorado 


248  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


River  about  thirty-five  miles  away,  and  it  seemed  like  a 
distant  greeting.  As  our  party  approached  the  wide 
bed  of  the  river,  a  cloud  of  smoke  from  the  same  source 
again  appeared  as  if  it  were  being  emitted  by  a  volcano. 
We  passed  through  thickets  of  willows,  mezquites,  arrow- 
bushes,  etc.,  and  then  among  marshes  covered  with  bul- 
rushes and  reeds.  There  were  also  muddy  places  where 
the  surface  had  a  thin  layer  of  salitre.  We  found  our- 
selves near  the  great  river  which  starts  in  distant  Wyo- 
ming, at  an  elevation  of  ten  thousand  feet,  and,  after  a 
tumultuous  course  of  nearly  two  thousand  miles,  reaches 
the  sea  through  Mexican  territory.  Early  in  the  after- 
noon we  arrived  at  Colonia  Lerdo,  a  very  small  Mexi- 
can settlement  on  the  lower  part  of  the  river.  Two 
miles  before  reaching  this  place  we  had  passed  a  small 
river,  the  so-called  Rillito  Salado,  part  of  the  Colorado 
River,  which  in  May  and  June  becomes  so  large  that 
boats  have  to  be  used  for  crossing,  some  of  which  were 
lying  on  the  beach. 

It  was  the  end  of  January  and  the  weather  was  calm, 
clear,  and  pleasant  with  a  temperature  in  the  warmest 
part  of  the  day  ranging  from  74°  to  78°  F.  in  the  shade. 
Every  morning  before  sunrise  the  sonorous  voices  of  the 
cranes  (grus)  were  heard  as  flocks  of  them  passed  by. 
Some  mosquitoes  and  flies  were  about,  and  during  the 
summer  these  become  a  pest.  Gnats,  trying  to  get  into 
eyes  and  ears,  are  always  present  here,  but  they  were 
not  very  annoying  at  that  time.  From  April  to  Septem- 
ber is  the  season  when  all  such  obnoxious  insects  abound. 
The  climate  is  very  wholesome. 


Approaching  Laguna  Prieta 


THE  MOUTH  OF  COLORADO  RIVER  249 


According  to  local  Information,  the  first  settlement 
here  was  In  1872.  A  Mexican  company  tried  to  exploit 
the  agricultural  possibilities  of  the  region  with  Irriga- 
tion, as  well  as  those  of  a  certain  fibrous  plant  {seshania 
macrocarpa)  that  grows  In  the  delta.  The  enterprise 
came  to  grief,  and  an  American  company  which  later 
took  the  matter  up  seems  to  have  had  no  better  suc- 
cess. If  the  Information  conveyed  to  me  Is  correct,  the 
notoriously  changeable  river  carried  away  three  colony 
sites,  the  first  one  situated  one  mile  west  of  the  pres- 
ent one,  and  the  second  and  third  were  a  little  nearer 
to  It;  the  fourth,  and  present  one  consists  of  two 
ranches  belonging  In  reality  to  one  Mexican  family 
which  has  survived  the  various  vicissitudes  of  coloniza- 
tion. They  raise  cattle,  wheat,  maize,  beans,  squashes, 
and  watermelons.  The  soil  Is  rich  and  I  was  told  that 
one  sweet  potato  grown  here  weighed  twenty-five  pounds. 
The  Inhabitants  are  Mexicans  with  the  pleasant  char- 
acteristics of  this  people.  Of  late  years  Sr.  Sandoval, 
the  banker  of  Nogales,  had  begun  to  keep  cattle  on  the 
river  fourteen  miles  below;  there  were  about  four  hun- 
dred head  and  they  seemed  to  be  doing  very  well.  Be- 
sides the  grama  grass,  the  sacate  Colorado  and  the 
so-called  sacate  salado,  the  seeds  of  which  are  eaten 
by  the  Indians,  furnish  pasturage.  The  cattle  will  also 
eat  the  leaves  of  the  chamlso  bush  as  well  as  those  of 
bulrushes  (tule)  when  green. 

It  was  pleasant  to  meet  at  this  place  an  Englishman, 
Lord  Osborne  Beauclerk,  who,  accompanied  by  the  Can- 
adian geologist,  Mr.  Warburton  Pike,  had  made  a  boating 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


and  sporting  trip  to  the  upper  part  of  the  Gulf  of  CaHfor- 
nia.  Lord  Osborne  was  a  much-travelled  man  who  had 
visited  parts  of  Asia  to  shoot  mountain-sheep  of  which 
sport  he  had  made  a  specialty.  They  were  on  their  way 
back  to  Yuma,  and  kindly  replenished  my  depleted  larder 
with  rice,  sugar,  and  other  articles  which  were  much  ap- 
preciated. 

Only  three  Indian  families  were  living  at  Colonia 
Lerdo,  and  they  had  no  cultivated  fields.  They  were 
mostly  old  people  and  I  found  them  to  be  Apache  Tontos 
from  Lower  California,  who  intermarry  with  the  Cocopa 
Indians,  only  one  of  whom  was  present.  There  was  little 
of  interest  to  be  gained  from  an  interview  with  an  old 
Apache  Tonto  who  lived  here  with  his  family.  He  sold 
me  his  bow  which  is  large  and  made  of  willow.  Among 
the  arrows  was  one  without  plumes  which  is  used  for 
killing  fish,  and  with  these  there  was  a  club  of  light  wood, 
colored  red  with  ochre,  as  also  a  bunch  of  hawk  and  heron 
feathers  with  a  rattle  from  a  rattlesnake  attached.  Two 
weeks  previously  he  had  killed  with  a  stick  twenty  large, 
fat  fish  which  had  been  entrapped  in  a  waterhole  that  was 
evaporating.  He  had  dried  the  fish  which  smelled  very 
strongly  of  rancid  oil. 

The  Cocopa  Indians  live  along  the  lower  part  of  the 
Colorado  River,  nearly  all  of  them  within  the  boundary 
of  Mexico,  and  plant  their  crops  in  the  fertile  river  de- 
posits. The  head-quarters  were  formerly  some  miles  west 
of  Colonia  Lerdo,  between  the  Hardie  and  Colorado  Rivers. 
They  are  considered  by  the  Mexicans  of  the  Colonia  to 
be  well  off,  raising  wheat,  maize,  the  ordinary  brown 


COCOPA  INDIANS 


251 


beans  as  well  as  the  small  white  beans  called  tepari,  and 
yurimuri,  black  beans.  They  own  wagons  and  American 
ploughs  and  are  able  to  sell  some  maize  and  watermelons. 
Cipriano  Dominguez,  of  Colonia  Lerdo,  who  later  served 
me  as  guide,  in  1900  took  a  census  of  the  tribe  and  es- 
timated their  number  then  at  one  thousand  two  hundred. 
Their  principal  rancherias  to-day  are,  according  to  him, 
Noche  Buena,  where  about  twenty  families  live,  many  of 
whom  seek  work  at  Yuma  and  return  when  the  river 
rises  to  plant  crops;  Mexical  with  some  forty  to  fifty 
families,  Pescador  with  fifteen  families,  and  Pozo  Vicente, 
which  is  the  largest,  containing  over  a  hundred  families. 
Formerly  they  all  lived  in  Noche  Buena,  Algodones,  Pozo 
Vicente,  and  La  Colonia.  According  to  the  same  inform- 
ant, they  suffered  little  damage  from  the  change  of  the 
course  of  the  Colorado  River,  though  on  account  of  it 
many  went  to  Pozo  Vicente  and  over  thirty  families  live 
in  Yuma,  working  for  the  Americans. 

The  Cocopa  burn  their  dead.  In  case  of  illness  the 
patient  abstains  from  food  and  drink.  Persons  suspected 
of  witchcraft  are  often  killed.  The  tribal  name  of  these 
Indians  is  Xawilkunyavcei,  which  means:  those  who  live 
on  the  river  (xawily  river).  They  are  reputed  to  be  very- 
hospitable  and,  to  quote  the  same  informant,  "They  are 
the  best  Indians  I  know.  If  a  Mexican  or  American  loses 
his  way,  these  Indians  take  care  of  him,  give  him  food, 
and  show  him  the  road."  The  usual  diseases  acquired 
through  contact  with  civilization"  are  found  in  the 
tribe,  and  many  die  from  syphilis.  Formerly  the  Cocopa 
were  in  constant  conflict  with  the  Yuma  Indians,  but  they 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


were  friendly  with  the  Apache  Tonto,  Maricopa,  and 
Papago. 

Here  our  animals  had  a  much-needed  rest  of  four  days. 
One  of  the  horses  had  to  be  left,  but  our  mules  were  all 
right,  and  the  burros,  with  one  exception,  a  young  animal, 
were  in  better  condition  than  at  the  start.  On  our  re- 
turn journey  along  the  coast,  it  was  very  desirable  to 
secure  a  guide,  but  the  one  man  here,  Cipriano  Domin- 
guez,  who  knew  the  coast  for  some  distance,  vv^as  unfort- 
unately away  in  Lower  California  with  a  party  of  Ameri- 
can sportsmen  from  the  Middle  West.  It  was  not  pos- 
sible to  wait  for  his  return,  which  was  uncertain,  and, 
even  without  a  guide,  I  would  have  attempted  to  reach 
Pinacate  by  a  new  route  rather  than  return  in  the  same 
way  we  had  come.  As  good  luck  would  have  it,  the  man 
arrived  the  day  before  our  departure  and  was  at  once  en- 
gaged to  go  with  us  as  far  as  he  knew  the  way.  Having 
had  to  walk  the  last  fifteen  miles  barefoot,  he  needed  a  day 
in  which  to  recuperate  and  was  to  overtake  us  the  next 
morning,  it  being  easy  to  follow  our  tracks  in  the  sandy 
soil.  From  my  experience  on  the  coast  journey  from  here 
to  Pinacate,  I  would  consider  it  hazardous  to  undertake 
the  trip  without  a  guide  on  account  of  the  extreme  diffi- 
culty in  discovering  where  there  is  water.  It  is  known 
to  exist  only  at  certain  places,  some  of  which  it  would  have 
been  highly  improbable  that  we  should  find,  in  spite  of 
the  directions  and  descriptions  given  me  by  the  Indian 
medicine-man  in  Quitovaquita.  Besides  water  is,  as  a 
rule,  found  on  the  coast  only  by  digging  for  it,  and  there 
may  be  no  indication  of  its  presence  except  to  one  long  ex- 


A  NECESSARY  ADJUNCT 


perienced  in  finding  it.  A  spade  is  an  essential  part  of 
the  explorer's  outfit  for  this  trip.  We  saw  tracks  of  a 
man  on  horseback  who  had  travelled  along  close  to  the 
beach.  He  may  have  been  a  runaway  from  justice  who, 
according  to  the  opinions  of  the  Mexicans  with  me,  must 
have  finally  perished  for  lack  of  water. 

In  the  afternoon  a  fire  started  in  the  dry  reeds  and 
grass  on  the  other  side  of  the  former  bed  of  the  river 
where  our  animals  were  in  good  pasture,  and  we  were 
obliged  to  bring  them  over  to  our  side.  A  strong  gale 
from  the  south-west  increased  the  fire  in  magnitude  and 
fierceness,  and  in  the  evening  it  threatened  to  destroy  the 
houses  of  the  Indians,  when  suddenly  a  change  of  wind  to 
a  northerly  direction  brought  relief,  and  the  fire  died  away 
after  a  few  hours.  The  Indians  no  doubt  had  made  it 
purposely,  for  they  were  just  at  this  time  busily  engaged 
in  such  work  all  along  the  river,  in  the  usual  Indian  be- 
lief that  smoke  produces  rain  and  clouds. 


CHAPTER  XVI 


TRAVELLING  ALONG  THE  GULF  OF  CALIFORNIA— DELIGHTFUL 
CLIMATE— KILLING  A  PORPOISE— FISHING— FRESH  WATER  ON 
THE  BEACH— UNATTRACTIVE  DRINKING  WATER— FINE  VIEWS 
—A  GREAT  SALT  DEPOSIT— EXTRAORDINARY  OCCURRENCE  OF 
SPRINGS— HARD  TRAVEL— THE  PAPAGO  SALT  EXPEDITIONS- 
WORSHIP  OF  THE  SEA 

We  passed  a  swamp  known  locally  under  the  name  of 
El  Doctor,  where  fresh  water  is  found  by  digging  a  couple 
of  feet  down  among  the  bulrushes.  On  a  low  sandy 
bluff  which  rises  a  few  feet  above  the  swamp,  a  jacal  had 
been  erected,  and  near  this  our  guide  and  his  brother 
once  experimented  with  the  agricultural  possibilities  of 
the  sand,  water  being  carried  from  the  swamp;  beans, 
maize,  squashes,  and  watermelons  gave  very  satisfactory 
results.  The  marsh  is  on  the  edge  of  a  great  playa  that 
runs  south-east  of  the  river  down  to  the  sea,  the  eastern 
limit  of  the  delta.  We  followed  the  edge  of  the  playa 
until  we  reached  the  sea,  travelling  most  of  the  time  on 
high  ground  and  afterward  along  the  bases  of  desiccated 
sand  cliffs. 

Salitre  frequently  covers  small  plains  of  soft  soil. 
There  was  no  trail  to  follow,  though  an  American  auto- 
mobile from  Yuma  once  tried  to  reach  what  is  called  the 
''harbor"  of  Santa  Clara.  The  automobile  had  to  be 
abandoned  at  the  edge  of  the  playa  at  a  camping  place 
of  the  same  name,  the  Americans  walking  thence  on  foot. 
From  the  "'harbor"  which,  according  to  our  guide,  is 

254 


THE  DELTA  OF  THE  RIVER 


255 


twenty-five  feet  deep,  runs  a  narrow  and  shallow  inlet 
or  slough,  passing  the  camp  of  Santa  Clara  and  extend- 
ing some  twenty-five  miles  beyond,  the  sea  at  high  tide 
coming  up  that  far.  Before  arriving  at  this  camp  one 
may  obtain  a  fine  view  of  some  of  the  river  delta  by  going 
to  the  edge  of  the  bluff  of  sand  cliffs  which  began  a  few 
miles  east  of  El  Doctor  and  farther  on  rises  for  a  hundred 
feet  or  more  above  the  playa.  The  many  clumps  of  bul- 
rushes (tulares)  observed  from  there  growing  down  on  the 
great  mud-flat  near  the  edges  are  a  curious  feature.  On 
account  of  the  action  of  the  wind  these  isolated  clumps 
of  coarse  plants  look  half  conical  in  shape.  According 
to  my  guide  they  all  contain  fresh  water.  Tracks  led 
to  some  of  them,  the  cattle  having  learned  that  water 
should  be  sought  here.  At  the  foot  of  the  bluff,  before 
arriving  at  Santa  Clara,  there  is  a  spring  of  tepid  water, 
and  the  cattle  drink  this  too,  though  it  contains  some 
sulphur. 

If  my  guide  is  correct,  at  very  high  tides  the  sea 
washes  over  most  of  this  playa,  which  is  sixteen  miles  wide 
at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  but  fresh  water  may  still  be 
found  where  the  bulrushes  grow.  In  digging  among  them 
the  water  at  the  surface  may  be  salty,  but  two  or  three 
feet  lower  it  is  found  to  be  fresh;  he  said  that  such  is 
always  the  case  and  my  own  experience  on  this  expedition 
confirms  it.  In  our  camp  at  Santa  Clara  on  the  edge  of 
the  playa,  it  was  a  novel  sight  to  behold  fresh  water  where 
the  ground  all  around  was  covered  with  a  deposit  of 
salitre  as  white  as  new  fallen  snow.  There  were  small 
salt  water  lagoons  near  by,  but  bulrushes  were  also  grow- 


256  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


ing,  and  when  a  hole  two  and  a  half  feet  deep  had  been 
made  in  the  sandy  mud  near  the  big  plants,  good  water, 
insignificantly  brackish,  gradually  seeped  in.  The  cacha- 
nilla,  or  arrowbush,  is  also  considered  to  be  a  good  sign 
of  water. 

On  the  playa  were  hundreds  of  coyote  tracks.  Several 
robins  appeared  near  our  waterhole  during  the  afternoon. 
Thousands  of  old  sea-shells  covered  the  surface  along  the 
lower  parts  of  the  sand  ridges  which  were  fifteen  or  twenty 
feet  higher  than  the  playa.  I  had  frequently  observed 
sea-shells  through  the  western  part  of  the  desert  on  the 
ground  at  a  considerable  distance  from  the  coast;  they 
were  found  to  an  extent  which  makes  it  seem  unlikely  that 
they  could  have  been  carried  there  by  the  Indians.  Near 
La  Nariz  and  at  La  Salada  fragments  of  dosinia  ponderosa 
were  encountered. 

On  reaching  the  beach  we  found  driftwood  lying  about 
in  the  shape  of  trunks  and  branches  of  cotton-wood  and 
willow,  which  the  river  had  carried  along  in  its  course  to 
the  sea.  Several  specimens  of  plants  in  flower  were  seen 
on  the  low  sand  dunes  near  the  beach,  among  them 
Oenothera  trichocalyx.  At  times  we  turned  off  and  up  onto 
these  low  sand-hills,  but  we  were  never  over  a  mile  from 
the  sea,  during  the  first  part  of  our  journey,  and  usually 
less.  It  was  the  first  week  of  February,  and  the  weather 
was  altogether  delightful,  remaining  almost  calm  for 
several  days.  The  temperature  was  pleasantly  warm, 
from  60^  to  70°  F.  about  noon,  and  at  night  it  would  fall 
as  low  as  31°  F,  though  it  did  not  feel  as  cold  as  that. 
One  afternoon  some  nimbus  clouds  appeared  in  the  west 


THE  ENCHANTING  SEA 


257 


against  the  intensely  blue  sky;  rain  fell  from  some  of  them, 
but  it  evaporated  before  it  reached  half-way  down  to  the 
sea. 

Our  first  camp  on  the  Gulf  was  made  among  the  sand 
dunes  a  few  yards  from  the  beach  itself.  A  porpoise  had 
inadvertently  become  entrapped  here  as  the  tide  receded, 
and  Alberto,  who  was  with  the  pack  train  ahead  of  me, 
discovered  it  splashing  near  the  sea.  Actuated  by  the 
savage  desire  to  kill  everything  that  is  alive,  which  most 
human  beings  have,  he  approached  it  and  murdered  it 
with  a  shot  from  his  pistol.  The  blood,  according  to  his 
description,  spouted  forth  like  a  fountain,  and  one  shot 
was  sufficient.  When  the  sun  was  setting  three  flocks  of 
cranes  passed  us  flying  westward,  the  last  flock  number- 
ing about  a  hundred. 

The  next  day  for  nearly  three  miles  at  a  stretch  we 
followed  a  lovely  beach,  the  ripples  of  the  sea  often  wash- 
ing lazily  over  the  horses'  hoofs,  while  a  soft  breath  of  air 
was  wafted  from  the  south-west.  The  big  horse  of  Clodo- 
miro,  who  rode  beside  me,  stopped  often  to  try  to  drink 
from  the  sea,  so  he  dismounted,  unfastened  the  bridle,  and 
let  it  judge  the  water  for  itself.  A  great  many  curlews 
were  walking  on  the  mud-flats  and  sea-gulls  were  about, 
but  all  seemed  to  be  somewhat  on  their  guard  against  us. 
As  the  tide  came  in  great  numbers  of  fish  began  to  sport 
at  the  edge  of  the  water,  often  jumping  out  of  it,  especially 
around  the  small  rocky  promontories. 

By  common  impulse  we  stopped  at  a  promising  place 
in  order  to  replenish  our  larder  from  that  wealth  of  ani- 
mal life.    To  be  sure,  dynamiting  is  very  poor  sport,  but 


258  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


under  such  conditions  as  the  present  ones,  where  one 
could  not  afford  to  waste  any  time  in  the  securing  of 
needed  provisions,  it  seemed  permissible  to  use  this  rough 
but  ready  way.  After  the  small  explosions  the  men 
eagerly  ran  out  up  to  their  waists  and  caught  with  their 
hands  the  dead  or  stupefied  fish,  throwing  them  ashore, 
and  one  of  them  gathered  big,  fat  mullets  in  his  straw  hat. 
The  result  was  thirty-one  excellent  fish,  all  of  the  same 
kind,  which  provided  us  with  superb  food  for  several  days. 
The  upper  part  of  the  Gulf  abounds  in  fish.  Our  new 
guide  told  me  that  on  his  recent  expedition  with  the  Amer- 
icans he  had  caught  about  a  thousand  fish  in  one  of  the 
ancient  stone  enclosures  of  the  Indians  constructed  for 
this  purpose.  He  repaired  the  corral  and  during  one 
night  this  great  number  was  entrapped.  The  Americans, 
however,  not  wanting  so  many,  threw  half  of  them  back 
into  the  sea. 

Later  in  the  afternoon  our  animals  had  a  much  needed 
drink  from  a  spring  on  the  beach  itself,  only  a  hundred 
yards  from  the  sand  cliffs.  Nobody  would  suspect  fresh 
water  here,  and  its  discovery  by  Cipriano  was  due  to  the 
actions  of  a  coyote  excavating  to  reach  it.  The  water 
showed  no  movement  and  the  spring  is  covered  by  the 
tide.  In  a  similar  manner  fresh  water  is  found  on  the 
beach  of  Puerto  de  Libertad,  to  which  people  from  Cab- 
orca  and  Altar  go  in  the  early  summer.  There  at  low 
tide  the  men  come  with  spades  to  water  their  animals. 

That  night  we  spent  behind  a  low  ridge  of  sand  dunes 
at  a  place  which  our  guide  had  named  Tornillal,  after  a 
number  of  tornillos,  screw-bean  trees  {prosopis  puhescens). 


LONELINESS  AND  DESOLATION 


growing  there.  The  screw-beans,  which  are  considered  by 
the  Mexicans  to  have  as  much  nutritive  value  as  oats,  are 
eaten  by  mules  and  donkeys,  but  rarely  by  horses.  The 
Indians  eat  them  toasted  and  ground  into  a  pinole.  We 
made  camp  on  a  patch  of  clear  level  ground  which  on 
account  of  its  clayish  consistency  was  cracked  with  deep 
furrows.  In  spite  of  a  light  cover  of  salitre  which  ap- 
peared in  many  places,  there  was  still  among  the  surround- 
ing sand-hills  enough  grass  for  our  animals,  although  in 
the  coast  country  this  was  more  scarce  than  before. 
Quails  were  running  about  on  the  dune  back  of  our  camp, 
and  the  singing  of  other  birds  was  heard,  but  the  place 
was  not  attractive.  The  presence  of  screw-bean  trees,  at 
that  time  without  leaves,  and  of  such  bushes  as  the  qua- 
viri  and  the  chamiso  did  not  help  to  relieve  the  impres- 
sion of  loneliness  and  desolation  of  the  landscape.  The 
sand  people  used  to  camp  here  on  fishing  expeditions  or 
on  their  way  to  the  Colorado  River,  and  I  was  curious  to 
see  where  fresh  water  was  to  be  found.  Cipriano  pointed 
out  a  shallow  hole  in  the  dry,  clayish  soil,  under  an  arrow- 
bush;  there  water  had  been  found  before,  and  by  digging 
down  four  feet  deeper  we  discovered  some,  but  it  was 
unusually  repulsive,  dark-brown  in  color  though  fairly 
clear,  and  smelling  of  sulphuretted  hydrogen,  very  salt, 
and  as  bitter  as  any  medicinal  mineral  water.  Its  color 
was  possibly  due  to  the  screw-beans,  as  I  later  on  saw  the 
earth  black  underneath  these  trees. 

It  was  the  worst  water  used  on  our  expedition;  but 
it  did  fairly  well,  with  Liebig's  extract,  which  requires 
much  salt,  and  under  the  circumstances  we  were  glad  to 


26o  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


fill  our  barrels  with  it.  Only  one  of  us  was  ill  for  a  few 
days  from  its  effect.  We  worked  our  way  up  to  the  top 
of  the  cliffs,  consisting  of  a  clayey  calcareous  sand,  which 
attain  here  a  height  of  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two 
hundred  feet,  and  arrived  at  a  hard  sand  mesa.  A  flat, 
extensive  country  now  presented  itself  to  our  view;  across 
it  to  the  north  is  seen  the  picturesque  Sierra  del  Rosario 
among  the  sand  dunes,  while  in  front  to  the  east  north- 
east Pinacate  rises  dark  and  gloomy  in  the  distance.  To 
the  east  are  seen  two  large  stretches  of  sand  dunes  and 
also  one  to  the  north-east.  The  vast  expanse  of  land,  not 
quite  level,  with  its  stunted  growth  of  bluish-gray  chamiso, 
yellowish-green  greasewood,  and  tufts  of  green  galleta 
grass  reminded  me  of  certain  flats  one  occasionally  meets 
with  in  the  Norwegian  highlands.  We  followed  an  old 
Indian  track  along  the  edge  of  the  mesa,  sometimes  pass- 
ing only  a  few  yards  from  the  steep  descent  of  the  sand 
cliffs  to  the  beach,  where  two  black  pelicans  were  seen. 
At  noon  a  dense,  snow-white  fog  filled  the  Gulf,  reaching 
up  to  our  elevation.  Above  it  in  the  west  rose  the  blue 
sierra  of  Lower  California,  the  highest  point  discernible 
being  San  Pedro  Martiro.  As  the  cliffs  became  lower 
we  again  descended  to  the  beach  where  we  camped  among 
the  sand  dunes.  The  deep  blue  sky  was  clear,  but  the 
humidity  in  the  evening  was  very  great,  and  all  our  things 
felt  wet.  It  was  pleasant  to  be  lulled  to  sleep  by  the  sound 
of  the  lazy  waves  against  the  beach,  which  awakened,  I 
do  not  know  why,  memories  of  a  trip  to  that  charming 
spot.  Bar  Harbor,  in  Maine. 

A  distance  of  only  three  miles  inland,  but  necessi- 


SALINA  GRANDE 


261 


tating  laborious  travel  over  sand  dunes,  brought  us  to 
the  largest  salina  in  that  part  of  the  country.  As  soon 
as  the  top  of  the  dunes  is  reached,  a  very  small  one 
is  discovered,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  diameter, 
and  near  by  is  an  arm  of  the  large  one,  reaching  toward 
the  south-west  within  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  sea. 
This  salt  deposit  has  sometimes  been  called  Salina 
Grande,  which  may  be  accepted  as  its  name.  Surrounded 
by  sand  dunes  of  medium  size,  it  appears  to  be  from 
twenty  to  thirty  feet  above  sea-level.  It  is  two  miles 
long  at  its  greatest  length,  running  south-west  and  north- 
east, the  south-western  end  being  quite  narrow.  It  is 
three-quarters  of  a  mile  wide  at  its  broadest  part,  and 
this  breadth  is  maintained  for  at  least  half  a  mile,  where 
the  most  valuable  part  of  it  is.  Walking  across  it,  I 
found  the  salt  hard  and  beautifully  white,  and  the  middle 
section  appeared  deep.  This  salina  has  been  visited  by 
few  people,  among  them  Sr.  Jose  Y.  Tapia,  the  mining 
surveyor  of  Altar,  who,  as  most  people,  entered  from  the 
Pinacate  region.  He  calculated  that  it  contained  seven 
million  tons  of  salt.  I  understand  that  a  French  com- 
pany, which  for  some  years  worked  a  gold  mine,  after- 
ward abandoned,  near  Caborca,  also  examined  this  de- 
posit. Much  fresh  water  is  present  and  some  day,  when 
railroad  communication  shall  have  been  established,  the 
Salina  Grande  will  prove  to  be  of  great  commercial  value. 

As  Cipriano  Dominguez  did  not  know  the  road  any 
further,  he  returned  to  his  home,  and  we  spent  the  day 
here  where  the  animals  had  good  water  and  a  rest,  while 
the  interesting  physico-geographical  conditions  of  the 


262  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


region  occupied  my  attention.  A  peculiar  feature  is  the 
prevalence  of  fresh  water  springs  on  the  flat  northern 
shore  of  the  sahna;  a  few  of  them  unite  and  form  a 
small,  gently  running  stream  which  disappears  into  the 
salt.  In  the  two  mornings  of  our  stay  herons  were 
standing  in  line  like  grenadiers,  along  this  little  fresh 
water  flow.  The  somewhat  circular  clusters  of  bul- 
rushes scattered  on  the  northern  shore  at  the  widest  part 
of  the  salina  were  as  usual  indications  of  fresh  water, 
but  here  the  water  was  in  sight.  Moreover,  it  was  pres- 
ent in  remarkable  circular  reservoirs  of  greater  or  less 
regularity  of  shape,  the  best  preserved  ones,  stripped 
of  their  plant  growth,  resembling  small  shallow  craters, 
most  of  which  were  filled  by  a  hill  in  the  middle. 

A  rim  surrounded  the  depression  about  the  hill  where 
fresh  water  is  found.  Bulrushes  covered  the  little  hill 
and  in  most  cases  also  the  depression,  or  at  least  parts  of 
it.  The  composition  of  the  reservoir  was  the  same  as 
that  of  the  shore  or  playa — sand  with  an  apparent  mixt- 
ure of  clay.  These  curious  springs  numbered  sixteen; 
not  all  equally  distinct  in  their  formation,  but  in  the  main 
features  their  similarity  could  usually  be  traced.  The 
Mexicans  had  the  convenient  word  pozo  (well,  waterhole) 
for  this  peculiar  formation. 

I  examined  eight  of  these,  all  of  different  sizes  and 
recognizable  at  a  distance  by  their  growths  of  bulrushes. 
The  one  which  was  nearest  the  sand  dunes  and  at  which 
we  were  camped  was  a  hundred  feet  in  diameter;  the 
sand  heap  in  the  middle  was  five  feet  high,  and  the  rim 
a  foot  and  a  half.   The  little  hill  was  densely  covered  with 


A  pozo  AT  Salina  Grande,  seen  from  the  east 

The  rim  is  plain;  most  of  our  animals  are  standing  inside  of  it.    Screwbean  trees  and  bulrushes  on  the  inside  hill 


Salina  Grande  in  its  northern  part,  showing  many  of  the  pozos  or  tulares 


CURIOUS  SPRINGS 


263 


bulrushes  and  the  depression  also,  but  to  a  less  extent. 
An  abundance  of  fresh  water,  only  shghtly  salt,  could  be 
seen  among  the  plants  and  there  was  no  necessity  for  using 
the  spade  to  get  at  it.  Other  pozos  were  twenty  feet  in 
diameter,  with  a  depression  two  feet  deep.  The  largest 
of  them  was  located  a  couple  of  hundred  yards  from 
our  camp,  farther  out  on  the  shore  or  playa.  This  was 
about  two  hundred  feet  in  diameter  and  had  a  remark- 
ably regular  rim,  three-quarters  of  which  rose  three  feet 
above  the  playa,  the  rest  being  lower.  This  contained 
more  water  than  any  of  those  visited  and  looked  like 
an  overgrown  pond;  the  water  here  was  quite  nice  to 
the  taste  and  only  negligibly  salt. 

One  of  these  pozos  was  still  further  out,  actually  in 
the  salt  bed,  where  the  soft  salt  cover  became  more 
solid,  and  here  the  water  was  perfectly  fresh.  One 
small  pozo  which  contained  much  water  had  no  hill  in 
the  middle.  An  extraordinary  feature  of  these  forma- 
tions was  that  water  actually  may  be  found  on  top  of 
the  sand  heap  in  the  middle.  Climbing  up  one  of  them 
which  was  unusually  high,  about  ten  feet,  I  found  that  a 
coyote  had  scratched  a  hole  four  feet  above  the  depres- 
sion, and  this  was  filled  with  water.  The  sand  on  top 
was  mixed  with  some  black  vegetable  matter  and  was 
extremely  moist;  a  small  hole  I  scooped  out  with  my 
hand  was  immediately  filled  with  fresh  water.  I  sup- 
pose these  curious  formations  in  the  sandy  soil  of  the 
shore  are  due  to  the  action  of  water  that  at  one  time 
must  have  been  stronger  than  now.  There  is  no  moun- 
tain range  nearer  than  the  isolated  Sierra  del  Rosario, 


264  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


thirty-five  miles  to  the  north.  Sand  dunes  are  still  char- 
acteristic of  the  country  for  miles  further  on.  It  seems 
as  if  the  presence  of  so  much  fresh  water  here  must  pre- 
suppose its  existence  underneath  the  western  area  of  the 
desert  of  the  District  of  Altar  and  extending  perhaps  up 
into  southern  Arizona. 

Besides  two  kinds  of  bulrushes  (typhay  in  Spanish 
tule),  some  arrowbushes  are  found  growing  over  the 
reservoirs  and  the  latter  looked  more  intensely  green 
than  usual.  In  the  depressions  grew  also  the  grass 
called  sacate  salado,  and  sometimes  also  screw-bean 
trees,  a  considerable  number  of  which  are  present  on 
the  north-eastern  part  of  the  shore  where  the  little  fresh 
water  stream  originates.  A  plant  (anemonopsis  califor- 
nica)  called  by  the  Mexicans  herha  del  manso  was  a 
singular  growth  in  these  pozos.  Its  large  root,  which  has 
a  strong  medicinal  scent,  like  that  which  characterizes 
an  apothecary  shop,  is  perhaps  the  most  popular  of  the 
many  favorite  remedies  of  northern  Mexico.  It  is  used 
internally  to  cure  colds,  coughs,  or  indigestion,  as  well  as 
externally  for  wounds  or  swellings,  and  is  employed  in 
a  similar  way  by  the  Indians.  Of  the  latter,  those  who 
lived  in  the  dune  country  are  said  to  have  been  in  the 
habit  of  chewing  bits  of  this  root,  as  elsewhere  tobacco  is 
chewed.  These  plants  grew  here  in  great  numbers  and  to 
enormous  proportions;  some  of  their  roots  were  as  much 
as  three  feet  long  and  very  heavy.  The  root  finds  a  ready 
sale  everywhere  and  my  Mexicans  were  not  long  in 
gathering  as  many  of  the  plants  as  they  could  carry  on 
their  animals.    One  of  the  men,  whose  horse  was  well- 


A  POZO  AT  THE  EDGE  OF  SaLINA  GrANDE 
In  the  foreground,  visible  in  part,  rim,  fresh  water,  and  hill.    The  trees  are  screwbeans. 


A  POZO  AT  Salina  Grande 

Inside  hill,  burned  over,  appears  in  central  part.    On  top  of  hill  fresh  water  was  found 


BEAUTIFUL  SAND  FORMATIONS  265 


nigh  exhausted,  walked  himself  in  order  to  put  a  load 
of  fifty  pounds  on  his  horse. 

Animal  life  seemed  scarce  here,  though  two  ravens 
darted  repeatedly  with  angry  cries  toward  my  white 
terrier,  as  if  they  wanted  to  strike  him  for  daring  to 
compete  with  them  in  the  food  market,  and  he  rose 
each  time  and  snapped  at  them.  Lizards  and  some 
species  of  rodents  seem  to  be  the  most  conspicuous 
fauna  in  the  dunes. 

No  one  of  my  party  knew  the  road  to  the  Salina  del 
Pinacate,  another  smaller  salt  deposit,  where  the  next 
water  would  be  found,  but  as  our  animals  had  been  in 
pasture  with  good  water  to  drink,  we  felt  no  anxiety 
about  the  journey.  It  turned  out  to  be  extremely  fa- 
tiguing travel,  however,  the  animals  working  all  the  time 
in  the  deep,  soft  sand,  up  and  down  the  dunes.  We  fol- 
lowed the  crests  as  much  as  possible,  which  were  some- 
what harder  and  afforded  the  best  means  for  progress. 
It  was  the  heaviest  work  of  the  expedition.  Usually  the 
dunes  formed  large,  irregular  waves  of  no  great  height 
but  once,  in  a  limited  area,  we  came  across  some  big 
ones.  We  passed  some  beautiful  formations  of  sand 
made  by  the  action  of  the  wind,  which  were  like  ter- 
races or  fortifications  extending  one  above  the  other. 

We  camped  without  water.  The  next  day,  about 
half-way  to  the  salina,  as  we  followed  the  higher  part 
of  the  large  sand  dunes  near  the  slough  which  under 
the  name  of  Estero  del  Tule  runs  northward,  Clodo- 
miro  and  I  came  across  an  old  Indian  camping  place. 
It  was  about  three  hundred  yards  from  the  slough,  be- 


266  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


hind  some  high  sand-hills  on  which  a  few  mezquites  were 
growing.  As  I  stopped  to  take  my  bearings  we  no- 
ticed some  pieces  of  wood  that  had  been  cut  by  an  axe 
long  ago,  an  unmistakable  sign  of  human  activity.  Per- 
haps this  had  been  done  by  the  lonely  Indian  of  Pina- 
cate  mentioned  before.  Fifty  or  a  hundred  yards  from 
there,  on  a  bit  of  level  ground,  between  the  sand-hills, 
which  was  covered  with  large  chamiso  bushes  and  sa- 
caton  grass,  about  fifty  quails  suddenly  started  forth 
and  enlivened  the  lonesome  landscape  with  their  defiant 
notes.  Shortly  afterward  we  came  upon  a  deep  and 
narrow  excavation  that  led  down  to  water,  the  existence 
of  which  is  known  only  to  the  Indians  and  one  Mexican 
who  gave  it  the  name  of  Pozo  del  Caballo,  from  the  skel- 
eton of  a  horse  he  found  there.  Considerable  work  with 
a  spade  would  have  been  necessary  to  make  the  water 
accessible  for  our  animals,  and  there  was  no  reason  to 
call  back  our  pack  train  which  was  in  advance  of  us,  so 
we  continued  our  journey,  striking  a  well-marked  Ind- 
ian trail  which  leads  northward.  Small  level  places  were 
covered  with  salitre,  and  the  whiteness  of  the  slough, 
which  we  followed  for  six  miles,  was  almost  blinding  to 
our  eyes. 

The  slough  finally  became  quite  narrow,  only  twenty 
yards  across,  and  making  many  curves  and  windings. 
After  having  passed  two  of  these  we  found  our  pack  train 
waiting  for  us  to  decide  in  which  direction  to  proceed. 
The  Pinacate  salt  deposit,  which  we  were  endeavoring  to 
reach,  could  not  now  be  far  off,  but  neither  Clodomiro 
nor  one  of  the  Mexicans  who  had  visited  it  recognized  the 


A  CRITICAL  POSITION 


267 


locality,  having  approached  it  from  the  direction  oppo- 
site to  that  with  which  they  were  acquainted.  Clodomiro, 
smarting  perhaps  under  the  feehng  of  having  to  be  guide 
without — through  no  fault  of  his — knowing  that  part 
of  the  country,  undertook  to  direct  us  and,  leaving  the 
slough  which  now  ran  easterly,  led  us  up  on  sand  dunes 
that  seemed  particularly  merciless  to  our  animals  after 
their  very  hard  day's  travel.  One  of  the  horses  had  to  be 
left  behind  after  a  short  time.  It  was  five  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon,  the  sun  would  soon  set,  and  further  marching 
in  the  dunes  seemed  aimless.  Why  not  follow  the  slough 
that  appeared  to  run  in  the  same  direction  ?  There  was 
no  time  to  waste,  so  following  my  impulse  I  led  the  ex- 
pedition down  to  the  slough  again.  A  march  of  an  hour 
more  brought  us  to  the  salina  which  we  did  not  recognize 
at  first.  It  appeared  that  the  very  slough  we  came  by  was 
part  of  it,  but,  being  covered  with  white  salitre,  it  did  not 
reveal  the  whereabouts  of  the  salt  deposit  until,  just  as 
darkness  set  in,  we  arrived  at  some  shallow  water  be- 
tween thin  layers  of  salt,  roseate  in  color. 

Our  thirsty  animals  hurried  into  it,  to  be  sadly  disap- 
pointed, for  it  was  all  salt.  A  few  minutes'  further  travel 
along  the  edges  brought  to  our  attention  small  heaps  of 
earth  that  had  been  thrown  up  on  the  beach.  This  was 
the  work  of  men  who  had  been  there  to  get  salt,  and  we 
hailed  it  with  delight,  for  there  they  had  dug  for  water. 
To  be  sure  the  water  was  not  very  fresh,  and  two  of  my 
men  as  well  as  two  of  the  mules  declined  it.  However, 
I  knew  better  water  could  be  found  by  digging  deeper, 
which  at  that  time  we  were  too  tired  to  do,  and  I  congrat- 


268  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


ulated  myself  on  having  saved  the  expedition  from  pos- 
sible disaster.  Next  morning,  by  digging  six  feet  deep, 
fairly  good  water  was  procured  on  the  beach  of  the  salt 
deposit.  The  two  mules  which  were  so  particular  had 
been  without  water  for  over  seventy-two  hours. 

We  spent  one  day  here  recuperating  and  trying  to 
collect  the  three  animals,  two  of  them  donkeys,  which  we 
had  been  obliged  to  leave  behind,  but  in  this  we  were  only 
partially  successful.  Our  horses  were  in  a  bad  way;  these 
animals,  however  patient,  are  not  serviceable  for  such  a 
trip,  as  they  are  too  fastidious  about  their  food  and  water. 
A  horse  prefers  not  to  eat  rather  than  to  try  food  he  does 
not  know.  In  fact,  only  two  of  them  reached  Sonoita 
again,  and  this  was  accomplished  only  through  the  heroic 
efforts  of  their  owners,  one  of  them  walking  almost  all 
the  time  from  Colonia  Lerdo  and  the  other  keeping  up 
his  horse's  strength  with  a  sack  of  oats  which  he  had 
succeeded  in  securing  there.  They  were  large,  splendid 
looking  animals  at  the  start,  but,  as  my  guide  said  and  as 
is  generally  true,  ''the  horse  that  enters  the  medanos  never 
comes  back."  Even  my  riding  mule  began  to  show  signs 
of  fatigue. 

The  salt  deposit  is  at  a  bend  of  the  slough,  and  is  only 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  long,  some  two  hundred  yards 
broad,  and  is  apparently  shallow.  The  salt  is  found  in 
layers;  along  the  water  edge  it  is  rose-colored  and  in  the 
central  part  quite  hard  and  fairly  free  from  impurities. 
The  sea,  which  is  three  miles  off,  is  said  by  the  Indians  to 
reach  here  twice  a  year.  This  salina  is  interesting  only 
because  it  has  from  time  immemorial  yielded  the  main 


GOING  AFTER  SALT 


269 


supply  of  salt  for  the  Papago  Indians,  who  still  come  here 
even  from  as  far  away  as  the  Gila  River.  A  few  Mexicans 
also,  of  outlying  places  such  as  Quitovac  and  Sonoita, 
obtain  this  commodity  from  here.  The  main  route  fol- 
lowed by  the  Indians  passes  over  Quitovaquita,  Tinaja 
del  Cuervo,  and  La  Soda,  and  there  is  also  a  trail  from 
the  Tinaja  del  Cuervo  direct  to  Quitovac. 

Guadalupe  pointed  out  to  me  the  place  where  the 
Indian  expeditions  camp  among  the  greasewood  bushes 
close  to  the  shore.  He  also  showed  me  where  the  Indians, 
before  attempting  to  gather  the  salt,  had  their  ceremonial 
race  on  the  deposit,  running  four  times  either  forward  and 
backward  or  one  side  up  and  the  other  down.  He  him- 
self has  been  too  much  with  Mexicans  to  consider  any 
ceremony  necessary  for  fetching  salt,  but  at  Chujubabi, 
where  he  often  lives,  he  has  seen  Papagoes  pass  on  their 
way  to  another  deposit  on  the  coast,  called  San  Jorge, 
fifty  miles  from  there. 

Leaving  their  horses  at  the  foot  of  the  range  of  Chu- 
jubabi, the  Indians  would  run  on  foot  up  the  hills,  nude 
but  for  a  cloth  around  the  loins  and  a  ribbon  tied  around 
the  head.  Reaching  the  top,  they  would  stop  in  a  line  all 
looking  toward  the  distant  salt,  and  every  one  would  make 
a  waving  motion  with  the  right  hand,  from  out  in  toward 
the  chest,  one  time  only,  and  then  they  would  descend 
again.  The  old  men  are  left  in  charge  watching  the  ani- 
mals so  that  they  do  not  drink  water  until  the  return  of 
their  owners.  There  is  no  water  from  there  to  San  Jorge, 
the  distance  being  covered  by  the  Indians  in  a  day  and 
a  half.    This  salina,  which  is  said  to  be  only  a  couple  of 


270  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


hundred  meters  in  diameter  and  at  long  intervals  covered 
by  the  sea,  is  still  popular  also  with  many  Papagoes  north 
of  the  boundary  line.  Their  expeditions  pass  La  Nariz, 
Espuma,  and  Chujubabi,  and  the  time  to  go  there  is  in 
April  and  October.  Sometimes  there  is  no  salt  found, 
when  those  Indians  who  are  in  the  habit  of  visiting  there 
come  to  the  Pinacate  salina. 

The  expeditions  to  the  salt  deposit,  where  we  had  our 
present  camp,  used  to  consist  of  thirty  or  forty  men — ''as 
many  as  when  going  to  fight  the  Apaches,"  to  use  the  ex- 
pression of  the  most  prominent  leader  of  these  expeditions 
to-day,  whom  I  met  at  Santa  Rosa  in  Arizona.  In  this 
case,  however,  they  are  all  unarmed.  On  the  road  to 
and  from  the  salina  the  Indians  eat  and  drink  very  little, 
their  only  food  being  pinole,  a  handful  to  each,  three  times 
a  day,  eaten  in  the  morning  before  the  start,  at  noon,  and 
in  the  afternoon.  It  is  mixed  with  water,  and  whatever 
little  may  stick  to  the  cup  after  its  contents  have  been 
eaten  is  buried  in  a  hole  made  in  the  ground.  Nobody 
drinks  water  without  permission;  they  wait  until  the 
leader  tells  them  to  do  so,  and  drink  only  when  told  to 
stop  on  the  march.  The  party  travels  very  silently, 
only  elderly  men  who  have  undertaken  the  journey 
before  talk,  and  nobody  turns  around  either  on  the 
journey  out  or  on  the  return.  No  member  of  the 
expedition  can  scratch  himself  unless  he  uses  for  the 
purpose  a  special  implement  made  from  a  twig  of  the 
greasewood. 

In  the  evenings  going  and  coming  they  receive  instruc- 
tions from  the  leader  concerning  the  care  that  must  be 


ANCIENT  CUSTOMS 


271 


taken  both  in  the  gathering  and  loading  of  the  salt  as  well 
as  in  ceremonies  and  sacrifices.  They  smoke  tobacco  and 
they  all  pray  to  the  sun  and  the  sea  for  health,  long  life, 
and  for  rain. 

Only  toward  midnight  do  they  go  to  sleep.  The  leader 
carries  with  him  six  small  sticks,  pointed  at  one  end,  but 
without  the  usual  plumes,  to  deposit  in  different  localities, 
one  in  each  of  the  two  places  where  water  is  found  on  the 
long  trip,  one  at  an  ancient  waterhole,  one  in  the  salt, 
one  ''where  the  sea  used  to  be,"  and  another  is  thrown 
into  the  sea,  which  sometimes  does  not  accept  it  if  there 
is  menstruation  in  the  leader's  house.  He  has  also  three 
cobs  of  corn  of  abnormal  growth,  flat  and  deformed  and 
called  by  the  Indians  ''flat-head  corn."  The  first  even- 
ing on  the  road  he  takes  grains  from  these,  four  each 
time,  chews  them,  and  then  spits  into  the  mouth  of  every 
horse  to  make  it  strong.  Some  meal  ground  from  the 
same  kind  of  corn-cobs  is  carried  along  to  be  sacrificed  to 
the  sea. 

They  arrive  early  in  the  day.  After  having  hobbled 
their  horses  each  man  takes  off  his  clothing  and  places  a 
breech  cloth  around  his  loins,  and  they  all  walk  in  a  line 
down  to  the  salt,  the  leader  following,  carrying  a  prayer- 
stick.  Those  who  have  not  been  there  before  run  four 
times  in  the  slough  over  the  salt  deposit,  the  others  twice. 
Quite  a  distance  is  covered  and  some  do  not  return  until 
nightfall.  When  my  informant,  the  old  leader,  was  young, 
he  used  to  run  on  such  occasions  what  would  be  equivalent 
to  sixteen  miles.  When  the  race  is  over  every  one  rubs  his 
chest,  arms,  legs,  face,  and  hair  with  salt  and  then  has  his 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


handful  of  pinole,  whereupon  the  salt  is  spread  out  to 
dry.  The  party  next  moves  down  to  the  sea;  going  into 
it  up  to  their  knees,  each  man  carries  corn-meal  in  his 
left  hand  and,  watching  for  the  waves,  throws  one  pinch 
of  it,  caught  with  all  fingers,  on  each  of  four  successive 
waves.  He  bends  forward  when  a  high  one  comes  lest  it 
might  throw  him  on  his  back,  which  is  a  bad  thing  as  it 
would  make  him  ill.  They  do  not  indulge  in  any  sea 
bathing,  for  the  ocean  is  too  clean  to  allow  them  to  soil 
it,  they  reverently  say. 

Toward  sunset  the  salt  is  gathered  in  sacks,  about 
one  hundred  pounds  in  each,  two  of  these  making  a 
load.  Great  care  is  taken  that  no  salt  be  spilled  on  the 
road  as  this  would  bring  about  some  misfortune.  Every 
one  takes  back  with  him  a  piece  of  silicious  sponge  which 
is  found  on  the  beach  and  which  is  kept  carefully  from 
year  to  year.  This  is  considered  a  good  remedy  for  ex- 
ternal use.  But  the  leader  may  take  a  bite  of  it,  chew 
it,  fill  his  mouth  with  water,  and  spray  this  through  his 
lips  on  the  men.  Members  of  a  salt  expedition  learn  new 
songs  on  the  trip  and  they  say  they  dream  them  while 
asleep.  Among  the  gifts  of  the  sea  may  be  a  beautiful 
wife,  luck  in  hunting,  or  swiftness  in  foot-races.  After 
their  return  they  must  stay  away  from  their  houses 
from  ten  to  sixteen  days.  A  good  deal  of  their  time 
is  spent  in  singing  to  the  accompaniment  of  rasping 
sticks,  and  after  having  taken  a  bath  every  fourth  day 
the  man  is  able  to  join  his  wife  again.  According  to  ac- 
counts of  fifty  years  ago*  the  Papagoes  supplied  Tucson 

*  See  California  Notes,  Fourth  Series,  in  California  Farmer,  1863. 


Beautiful  effects  of  wind  and  sand,  north-west  of  Pozo  del  Caballo 


Papago  salt  expeditions  camp 


The  Pinacate  salt  deposit 

between  the  two  dumps  of  greasewood  to  the  left  and  in  the  middle 


INDIAN  SALT 


273 


and  a  mining  company  with  thousands  of  pounds  of  salt 
annually.  This  was  undoubtedly  brought  from  this  Pin- 
acate  deposit.  Much  of  the  salt  used  to  be  exchanged  for 
wheat  with  the  Pimas. 


CHAPTER  XVII 


A  PEACEFUL  DAY— TRAGEDY  IN  THE  WILDERNESS— OUR  ANIMALS 
BEGINNING  TO  GIVE  IN— A  PROMISING  SODA  DEPOSIT— LAST 
CAMP  ON  THE  BEACH— AMONG  THE  SAND  DUNES— SIERRA 
BLANCA— THE  MOUTH  OF  THE  SONOITA  RIVER— EL  CHARCO— 
PRONGHORN  ANTELOPES— MEETING  WITH  INDIANS— RETURN 
TO  SONOITA 

Saturday,  February  12,  was  as  peaceful  and  quiet 
as  any  sunny  Sabbath  day  of  the  wilds.  Though  the 
water  was  yellowish  and  smelt  of  sulphur,  it  furnished 
me  a  refreshing  *'tub."  From  the  top  of  the  sand  dunes 
above  my  camp  there  was  a  fine  view  of  the  landscape, 
which  resembled  a  mountainous  country  covered  with 
snow.  Down  among  the  low  sand-hills  near  the  salina 
three  coyotes  came  along,  escaping  my  camera  only  on  ac- 
count of  the  presence  of  my  dog.  Never  have  I  seen  any 
other  region  that  harbored  so  many  of  them.  They  evi- 
dently foraged  on  the  beach  all  night  long,  and  in  the  day- 
time they  would  pass  in  pairs  over  the  salt  lake,  remind- 
ing one  of  wolves  on  snow  fields.  Three  of  them  came 
up  to  our  kitchen. 

Alberto,  in  looking  for  a  donkey  left  behind,  struck 
an  Indian  trail  which  led  straight  across  the  slough  that 
we  had  followed  northward  the  preceding  day,  and  re- 
ported that  the  ground  was  fairly  hard,  except  on  the 
edges,  where  his  animals  sank  up  to  their  bellies.  Prob- 
ably, therefore,  we  should  have  arrived  more  easily  by 

making  our  way  directly  across  the  slough. 

274 


AN  INHOSPITABLE  REGION  275 

Clodomiro  and  another  Mexican,  who  had  been  to 
the  coast  trying  to  get  fish,  brought  back  a  somewhat 
ghastly  souvenir  in  the  shape  of  a  human  scapula.  On 
the  beach,  east  of  the  mouth  of  the  slough  of  the  salina 
and  above  the  reach  of  the  tide,  they  had  come  across 
an  old  sailing  boat,  half  buried  in  the  sand.  There  were 
remains  of  red  paint  on  it  and  the  mast  was  still  there 
intact.  Very  little  sand  was  inside  of  it,  and  here  they 
found  the  osseous  remains  of  a  man,  the  head  missing, 
remnants  of  a  gray  felt  hat,  pieces  of  black  cloth,  a  can 
containing  baking  powder,  and  two  bottles.  They  were 
of  the  opinion  that  this  man  had  been  an  American  and 
that  the  disaster  must  have  happened  perhaps  ten  years 
ago. 

Our  start  the  next  morning  was  characteristic  of  the 
inhospitable  region  where  I  found  myself.  One  of  the 
remaining  horses  was  so  weak  that  he  had  to  be  helped 
onto  his  feet,  another  horse  barely  walked  without  sad- 
dle, and  my  riding  mule  had  diarrhoea.  Our  progress 
over  the  sand  dunes  was  slow  and  tedious,  but  after 
six  hours'  journey  we  reached  our  next  destination.  La 
Soda,  where  fairly  good  water  was  found  in  two  shallow 
holes  that  had  been  dug  near  some  bulrushes  on  the 
shore  of  a  soda  deposit. 

La  Soda  is  a  deposit  of  carbonate  of  soda,  one  and  a 
half  miles  long  and  half  a  mile  wide,  running  from  east 
to  west.  The  valuable  part  of  it  is  three-quarters  of  a 
mile  long  and  about  three  hundred  yards  wide.  Low 
sand  dunes  separate  it  from  the  sea,  which  is  two  or 
three  miles  off.    An  American  company  some  years  ago 


2/6  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


started  to  exploit  the  deposit,  but  the  attempt  was  aban- 
doned, perhaps  on  account  of  the  difficulty  of  communi- 
cation, which  has  to  be  by  sea  without  there  being,  as 
far  as  I  could  ascertain,  any  suitable  harbor.  Wood  for 
fuel  is  not  found  here.  For  our  camp  fire  we  used  green 
chamiso  bushes  and  a  bush  called  sosa,  a  species  of 
suceday  the  ashes  of  which  are  used  by  Mexicans  in  the 
manufacture  of  soap;  the  donkeys  also  eat  it. 

Mexicans  who  occasionally  pass  here  on  their  way  to 
the  Pinacate  salt  deposit  usually  stop  a  day  to  kill  fish 
by  dynamite  in  the  sea  which  is  near  by.  The  fish  are 
salted  and  dried.  Several  flocks  of  cranes  passed  after 
sunset  westward  bound,  probably  for  the  Colorado 
River.  Some  quails  and  doves  were  observed  and  in 
the  morning  a  mocking-bird  sang  beautifully,  but  noth- 
ing seemed  to  be  able  to  dispel  the  gloomy  impression  of 
the  landscape. 

We  started  eastward  in  a  chilly  northern  wind  of 
varying  force,  which  made  the  atmosphere  opaque  with 
sand  and  salitre,  darkening  the  horizon  and  hiding  even 
Pinacate  from  view.  As  we  travelled  over  an  apparently 
indefinite  number  of  sloughs  all  covered  with  a  thin 
layer  of  salitre,  clouds  of  this  stuffs  would  sometimes 
whirl  along  and  envelop  us  as  if  in  white  smoke.  It 
was  a  relief  to  arrive  again  at  the  beach  which  lay  before 
us  in  a  straight  line  eastward.  After  a  few  miles'  travel 
we  reached  an  old  Indian  camping  place,  La  Choya,  a 
translation  of  the  Indian  name  of  the  same  meaning  and 
derived  from  clusters  of  the  formidable  spiny  cacti  which 
is  found  near  by  among  the  low  sandy  ridges.  They 


CHOYAS  OF  THE  COAST 


277 


seemed  to  be  different  from  the  two  or  three  species  com- 
prised under  the  name  choya,  smaller  and  browner  in 
color,  and  may  possibly  be  another  species. 

A  small  low  sand  dune  separated  our  camp  by  a 
hundred  yards  from  the  beach.  There  is  little  pasture 
here,  and  there  was  nothing  from  which  to  make  a  camp 
fire  except  driftwood.  Several  ocotillos  made  their  fa- 
miliar appearance  on  top  of  the  low  sand  ridges,  and  near 
our  camp  were  a  few  quaviri  bushes;  some  very  small 
chamiso,  evidently  another  species,  and  some  dusky  sosa 
bushes  completed  the  list  of  conspicuous  vegetation  here. 

There  was  no  doubt  about  the  spot  where  water  was 
to  be  found.  A  large  hole  had  been  excavated  on  the 
little  plain  on  which  we  made  camp  and  heaps  of  earth 
mixed  with  thousands  of  sea-shells  had  been  thrown  up, 
but  it  must  have  been  some  time  ago,  for  there  was  no 
water  in  sight  except  at  the  bottom  of  a  deep  burrow 
which  had  been  made  at  one  side  by  the  coyotes.  We  soon 
uncovered  water,  however,  but  it  was  strongly  brackish. 

Four  or  five  miles  farther  east  on  the  beach  two  hills 
loomed  up  on  the  horizon  and  at  that  distance  appeared 
as  two  islands,  perhaps  a  mile  long  each,  situated  close 
to  the  beach.  The  nearer  may  be  connected  with  the 
main-land  and  is  probably  a  rocky  promontory,  at  least 
at  low  water.  Sand  dunes  could  plainly  be  discerned 
there,  and  this  was  where  the  sand  Papagoes  used  to 
kill  sea  lions  (in  Spanish  lohos).  The  other  may  be  ac- 
cessible from  this  one  at  low  tide. 

From  here  I  turned  inland  toward  the  so-called 
Sierra  Blanca,  which  is  south-east  of  Pinacate,  making 


278  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


for  a  point  midway  between  its  southern  extension  and 
a  row  of  three  large  sand  dunes  that  rose  at  some  dis- 
tance in  front  of  us.  Though  the  air  was  opaque  from 
floating  sand,  it  often  cleared  and  revealed  the  pictu- 
resque sierra  which  appeared  from  the  coast  much  higher 
than  it  is  in  reality.  The  distance  to  it  is  only  fifteen 
miles  in  a  straight  line  and  the  landscape  presents  a 
vista  entirely  of  sand.  For  the  first  two  miles  the  dunes 
look  like  large,  low  waves  running  in  the  general  direc- 
tion from  north  to  south.  They  are  each  half  a  mile  to 
a  mile  long  and  only  from  twenty  to  fifty  feet  high,  and 
they  are  smooth  looking  as  less  action  of  the  wind  is 
noticeable  here.  The  vegetation  is  mainly  greasewood 
and  canutillo. 

For  the  next  four  miles  the  sand  ridges  were  some- 
what higher  and  showed  much  wind  action,  as  they 
consist  of  a  great  number  of  small  hills,  ranging  from 
five  to  forty  feet  high,  the  largest  ridges  being  seventy  to 
eighty  feet  high.  The  same  vegetation  is  found  on  these 
hills  and  in  addition  mezquite  trees  grow  in  clumps  at 
the  tops,  and  on  account  of  the  absence  of  leaves  looked 
as  if  they  were  dead.  It  was  a  pleasant  surprise  to  find 
in  this  belt,  in  the  middle  of  February,  a  lovely  flora 
consisting  mainly  of  Oenothera  trichocalyx  with  its  large 
white  flowers  and  also  a  yellow  species.  For  a  couple 
of  miles  I  saw  thousands  of  them  in  bunches  clothing  the 
small  slopes  and  valleys  between  the  lower  sand  ridges  as 
if  planted  in  a  park.  The  light  green,  healthy,  and  juicy 
looking  plants  made  me  feel  as  though  I  had  been  sud- 
denly transported  to  other  regions  less  arid  than  these. 


AMONG  THE  SAND-HILLS  279 


The  next  three  miles  contained  some  sand  ridges  of 
smooth  appearance,  but  there  were  no  flowers,  though 
the  usual  vegetation  prevailed. 

The  last  five  miles  consisted  of  more  or  less  barren 
sand-hills,  the  largest  of  which  had  been  noticed  from  the 
coast  running  westward  like  huge  waves,  each  approxi- 
mately one  hundred  and  seventy-five  feet  in  height  and 
less  than  a  mile  in  length.  These  form  the  beginning  of 
the  big  bare  sand  dunes  which  run  in  a  belt  toward  La- 
guna  Prieta  about  three  miles  wide.  We  passed  to  the 
right  of  the  first  one  and  camped  behind  it.  A  stiff  wind 
from  the  north  had  been  blowing  through  the  day  and  it 
felt  chilly,  although  a  temperature  of  55°  F.  at  sunset  was 
not  particularly  low;  still,  as  we  camped  at  six  o'clock 
we  found  it  agreeable  to  draw  near  the  fire. 

During  the  night  a  fresh  gale  from  the  north-west 
sprang  up  and  filled  all  my  things  with  sand.  For  three 
days  it  had  not  been  possible  to  change  the  films  of  my 
cameras  on  account  of  the  sand  that  was  flying  about. 
It  worked  its  way  disagreeably  into  rifles  and  instruments, 
but  did  not  do  any  damage,  as  it  was  clean  and  easily 
shaken  out.  Clodomiro  and  I  had  followed  an  hour  or 
less  after  the  rest  of  the  party  and  we  had  occasion  to  ob- 
serve how  astonishingly  quickly  a  wind  of  even  moderate 
force  obliterates  tracks. 

Emerging  from  the  dunes,  one  is  suddenly  confronted 
at  their  edge  with  a  full  view  of  Sierra  Blanca  which,  as  its 
name  implies,  is  of  a  very  light  granite  color;  the  Indians 
too,  in  their  language,  call  it  the  ''white  range."  A  huge 
lava  flow  from  Pinacate  separates  it  from  the  dunes  and 


28o  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


follows  it  almost  to  its  southern  point.  Isolated  specimens 
of  the  white  brittle  bush  grew  in  great  numbers  over  the 
dark  sheet  of  lava  in  front  of  us,  giving  at  first  sight  the 
impression  of  being  spots  of  ashes  on  a  large  field  of  burnt 
grass.  We  had  last  seen  this  bush  at  El  Capitan.  All 
along  the  base  of  the  sierra  there  appears  a  narrow  strip 
of  verdure,  consisting  of  palo  verde,  palo  fierro,  and  the 
usual  vegetation  of  such  localities.  A  lonely  sahuaro, 
the  first  seen  since  leaving  the  Gila  Range,  stood  on  a 
hill-top.  Though  no  water  is  found  on  the  western  side 
of  Sierra  Blanca,  the  vegetation  of  the  standy  strip  along 
the  base  of  the  range  sheltered  by  the  lava  flow  is  luxuriant. 
Close  to  my  tent  toloache  {datura)  was  in  flower,  and  a 
creeper  with  lots  of  small  leaves  that  smelled  like  mint 
when  crushed  attracted  unusual  attention  from  our  ani- 
mals. 

There  was  an  abundance  of  grass  here,  but  our  ani- 
mals had  to  be  taken  to  water  twelve  miles  away  at  Ti- 
naja  del  Cuervo.  Accompanied  by  Clodomiro,  I  examined 
this  small  and  steep  mountain  range,  which  has  not  before 
been  explored,  ascending  it  in  three  places;  its  height  is 
only  about  one  thousand  five  hundred  feet  above  the 
llano,  and  its  crest  is  as  narrow  as  any  of  those  in  that 
western  region;  a  stone  can  be  thrown  from  one  side  to 
the  other  of  the  ridge.  The  mountain-sheep  have  a  well- 
beaten  path  along  the  entire  crest,  although  it  would  be 
difficult  for  a  man  to  pass  over  the  middle  section.  We 
saw  a  gray  fox  in  its  lair  near  the  top. 

Loose  rocks  and  stones,  which  in  a  time  long  past  had 
tumbled  down  from  above,  fill  the  gorges  or  arroyos  that 


A  CONSPICUOUS  WATER  COURSE  281 


descend  from  the  sierra.  No  soil  is  in  sight  here  and  it 
is  almost  incredible  that  any  plant  life  could  strike  root, 
but,  in  spite  of  this,  whatever  grows  is  in  a  thriving 
condition.  The  steep  gorges  were  filled  with  a  pleasant 
aroma  from  the  brittle  bush  and  sangrengado,  and  the 
ocotillo  was  in  evidence  in  the  lower  parts,  all  serving 
as  food  for  the  always  fat-looking  mountain-sheep.  Also 
a  few  greasewoods,  choyas,  and  century  plants  are  seen 
here  and  there  among  the  mountains,  which,  however, 
impress  one  as  being  barren  of  vegetation,  except  in  the 
arroyos,  and  such  is  the  case  with  all  sierras  of  the  desert 
region. 

Standing  on  top  of  the  southern  part  of  the  sierra,  one 
sees  toward  the  north  and  the  east  a  large  llano  with 
greasewood  growth  that  extends  as  far  as  the  low  sierras 
of  Agua  Salada.  Sierra  de  San  Francisco,  nearly  twenty- 
five  miles  across,  is  directly  opposite  us,  and  to  the  east 
Sierra  Pinta,  perhaps  eighteen  miles  away,  looms  up. 
There  are  no  sand  dunes  to  interrupt  the  flatness  of  this 
llano;  the  ground  is  hard  and  easy  to  travel  over  and  the 
soil  is  good  for  agricultural  purposes. 

The  most  interesting  sight  from  this  lofty  point  of 
vantage  was  the  course  of  the  Sonoita  River,  which  even 
to  the  naked  eye  is  conspicuous  on  account  of  the  green 
growth  of  mezquites  that  follow  its  banks.  It  is  unneces- 
sary to  recall  the  fact  that  most  of  what  is  called  the 
Sonoita  River  has  no  water  except  immediately  after 
heavy  showers.  It  has  been  supposed  that  the  Sonoita 
River  never  reaches  the  sea,  but  I  may  state  here  that 
such  is  not  the  case,  as  it  does  occasionally  carry  its 


282  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


capricious  waters  to  the  Gulf.  Through  my  field-glass  I 
could  make  out  distinctly  its  course  as  it  passes  a  couple 
of  miles  this  side  of  some  isolated  small  hills,  Los  Cerri- 
tos  del  Rioy  which  were  conspicuous  on  the  large  llano 
to  the  east  south-east  of  us,  about  twelve  miles  away. 
Galleta  grass  grew  between  the  hills  and  the  river,  which 
runs  south  from  there  for  about  four  miles  and  then  makes 
a  curve  south-east  continuing  for  about  two  miles  more. 
Although  I  could  not  actually  follow  it  to  its  mouth,  still 
for  many  miles  south-eastward  and  south  its  course  was 
easily  traceable,  and  without  doubt  it  reaches  the  sea, 
which  was  visible  in  the  horizon.  Moreover,  my  guide, 
Clodomiro  Lopez,  who  during  the  expedition  had  proved 
himself  to  be  reliable,  had  been  on  the  river  in  February 
of  the  preceding  year  at  only  one  league's  distance  from 
the  Gulf.  An  unusual  amount  of  rain  had  fallen  and  at 
that  place  the  river-bed  ran  full.  The  bed  of  the  river 
was  deeper  than  at  Los  Pozitos  but  not  so  wide  and  mez- 
quites  were  growing  on  the  banks.  The  mouth  of  the 
river  should  be  about  four  leagues  west  of  the  terminal  of 
the  little  railroad  of  the  Sierra  Pinta  mine. 

While  the  gravelly  land  stretching  along  the  base  of  the 
Sierra  Blanca  presents  the  usual  smooth  appearance  and 
vegetation,  there  may  be  observed  farther  away  on  the 
plains  sandy  patches  covered  with  galleta  and  sacaton 
grass.  Toward  the  south  and  the  west  at  some  distance 
are  seen  green  and  yellowish  patches,  due  to  the  colors  of 
flowers,  for  the  soil  is  rich  there.  Nearer,  scarcely  two 
miles  off,  is  a  small  plain  which  presents  the  same  color- 
ing in  its  southern  part,  while  it  is  red  in  its  northern  part. 


FLORA  NEAR  SIERRA  BLANCA  283 


due  to  the  prevalence  of  the  golondrina.  It  is  a  small 
sandy  basin  running  east  and  west  into  which  many 
streams  of  rain-water  disappear,  and  hence  it  is  called  by 
my  guide  El  Charco.  The  Pinacate  lava  flow  reaches 
that  far. 

On  a  visit  to  that  locality  I  found  that  the  most  con- 
spicuous plants  were  the  prickly  poppy,  in  Spanish  cardo 
{argemone  intermedia)^  sphceralcea  incana^  a  nightshade 
{physalis  lobata),  nama  stenophyllum,  and  plantago  jas- 
tigiata.  The  latter,  which  the  Mexicans  call  la  pastora^  is 
considered  to  be  the  best  kind  of  pasture.  Its  seeds  are 
eaten  by  the  Papago  Indians,  either  uncooked  or  toasted 
and  ground  to  a  pinole.  These  several  species  of  plants 
were  all  in  flower.  A  pair  of  blue  birds  were  near  and  in 
one  place  one  of  them  kept  flapping  its  wings  over  the 
white  flowers  of  a  poppy  plant.  A  falcon  also  made  its 
appearance  here  and  hawks,  as  usual,  were  much  in  evi- 
dence. 

At  the  base  of  the  sierra  we  startled  a  flock  of  ten 
mountain-sheep  resting  at  noon  in  a  small  arroyo.  Most 
of  them  ran  swiftly  up  the  mountain  sides,  but  an  old  ram 
took  the  situation  more  calmly  and  walked  leisurely  be- 
hind the  rest.  As  we  rode  on,  keeping  our  eyes  on  the 
craggy  ridges  that  extended  from  the  summit,  the  ram 
was  seen  again  on  top  of  one  of  them.  His  head  appeared 
against  the  sky  over  three  hundred  yards  off;  he  stood 
there  for  five  minutes  looking  at  us,  immovably  as  in  a 
picture,  the  rocks  on  either  side  of  him  forming  the  frame. 
I  was  going  to  put  up  my  tripod  and  take  a  time  exposure 
when  he  slowly  walked  off,  following  the  crest  upward. 


284  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


Just  as  I  was  about  to  mount  my  mule  he  suddenly  came 
dashing  down  the  steep  slope  toward  us,  as  if  to  ascertain 
what  we  were  doing  there;  at  one-third  of  the  distance 
down  he  turned,  however,  and  trotted  swiftly  and  easily 
along  the  steep  and  broken  slope  of  the  mountains,  ex- 
posing his  side  to  the  camera.  We  saw  him  again  in 
another  direction,  nearer  to  us,  but  high  up  against  the 
sky,  where  he  stood  for  a  few  seconds  and  then  turned  his 
white  tail  toward  us  and  disappeared. 

Five  of  those  beautiful  swift  animals,  called  prong- 
horn  antelopes  {antilocapra  americana  mexicana),  were 
also  seen  grazing  at  about  three  hundred  yards  out  on 
the  llano.  When  these  animals  move  among  the  grease- 
woods  alone,  they  are  easily  discovered  on  account  of  their 
color,  which,  while  mainly  light  reddish  brown,  pres- 
ents a  good  deal  of  white,  the  legs  and  under  body  being 
thus  marked,  but  the  rest  of  the  vegetation  here  offers 
them  much  protection.  The  extravagant  shape  of  the 
choya,  combined  with  its  whitish  color,  often  suggests  an 
antelope  at  a  distance,  and  there  are  many  old  crags  and 
withered  branches  that  look  like  prongs  or  horns.  The 
large  open  llano,  the  favorite  haunt  of  these  animals,  is 
in  places  covered  with  the  golondrina  and  another  taller 
plant,  both  of  a  reddish  hue,  which  resembles  that  of 
the  antelope.  As  I  was  dressed  in  white,  I  succeeded  in 
approaching  them,  but  they  are  much  more  shy  than 
mountain-sheep,  and  they  suddenly,  although  within  easy 
reach  of  my  rifle,  became  alarmed  at  my  photographic 
efforts.  They  trotted  away  quickly  in  single  file,  describ- 
ing long  serpentine  curves  among  the  greasewood. 


MEETING  TRAVELLERS 


285 


Clodomiro  and  I  made  a  circuitous  route  around 
Sierra  Blanca,  overtaking  the  pack  train  late  in  the 
evening  at  our  former  camp  Galletal.  My  riding  mule 
had  had  no  water  for  seventy-eight  hours.  The  next 
day  I  began  to  retreat  to  Sonoita  in  order  to  replenish 
our  store  of  provisions.  In  the  afternoon,  as  we  travelled 
along,  we  noticed  a  cloud  of  dust  rising  from  the  llano 
ahead  of  us,  a  sign  of  travellers  coming  our  way.  They 
proved  to  be  three  Indians  from  Barajita,  a  rancheria 
in  Arizona,  on  their  way  to  the  Pinacate  salina.  Their 
pack  animals  carried  little  else  but  empty  packing  nets, 
as  the  provisions  brought  along  on  salt  expeditions  are 
meagre  and  of  only  one  kind.  They  asked  about  water 
and  grass.  One  of  them  said  he  knew  that  we  had 
started  for  these  parts  two  months  ago. 

The  leader  wore  a  fantastic  white  hat  with  a  bluish 
plume  waving  from  the  centre.  The  second  was  an  el- 
derly, cunning-looking  man,  who  dismounted  and  offered 
his  hand;  the  third  was  fat  and  more  civilized  looking, 
known  by  the  name  of  Jose  Juan  and  as  a  prominent 
medicine-man.  He  is  usually  capitan,  but  this  time  he 
was  probably  not,  as  he  came  last.  The  capitan  leads 
going  out  and  is  the  last  in  the  procession  coming  back. 
They  seemed  intelligent  and  it  was  strange  to  find  some 
natives  of  the  desert  after  having  beheld  for  so  long  only 
their  haunts  of  former  days.  They  maintained  a  kind 
but  reserved  mien  and  departed  after  a  minute  or  two 
of  conversation.  I  gave  one  of  them  the  cigarettes  I 
had  with  me,  and  he  asked  for  matches  which  were 
promptly  supplied.    Their  animals  were  in  good  condi- 


286 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


tlon  and  though  the  sun  was  low,  they  would  reach  the 
Cuervo  tank,  seven  miles  off,  in  a  very  short  time, 
Clodomiro  said.  Half  an  hour  later  we  saw  from  the 
dust  in  the  distance  that  they  were  nearing  their  desti- 
nation. 

We  camped  that  night  on  the  bank  of  the  Sonoita 
river-bed,  which  is  much  larger  here  than  in  Sonoita, 
thirteen  miles  south  of  Agua  Dulce;  it  is  about  one 
hundred  and  twenty  feet  wide  and  runs  in  two  sections, 
separated  by  a  low  narrow  ridge,  each  part  about  fifty 
feet  wide.  It  is  rather  surprising  that  a  river  which 
carries  water  for  only  a  few  hours  at  a  time  can  leave 
so  large  a  course.  At  certain  bends  of  the  river  where 
the  sand  contains  clay  the  water  may  last  two  days. 
There  were  mezquites  of  considerable  size  here,  and  it 
was  pleasant  to  see  them  again,  as  it  meant  wood  for 
our  fire.  A  couple  of  miles  before  arriving  at  Los  Pozi- 
tos  we  passed  a  low  ridge  where  pieces  of  obsidian  lay 
scattered  about.  If  my  guide  is  correct,  this  is  the  only 
place  where  obsidian  occurs  in  the  country  south-west 
of  Sonoita.  Two  miles  from  Los  Pozitos  a  number  of 
sea-shells  of  various  kinds  were  observed  about  six  feet 
above  the  river-bed. 

The  little  stream  of  crystal  clear  spring  water  at 
Quitovaquita  is  smaller  than  a  brook,  but  it  seemed 
much  alive  as  it  hurried  on  in  its  effort  to  keep  the  dam 
full.  As  I  had  been  long  unaccustomed  to  seeing  run- 
ning water,  and  for  twenty  days  had  drunk  it  more  or 
less  brackish,  the  tiny  brook  seemed  almost  unreal  and 
was  enchanting  in  its  effect.    It  was  also  a  delight  to 


Waiting  for  his  chance.    At  Los  Pozitos 


( 


BEANS  THAT  ARE  WORTH  WHILE  287 


indulge  in  my  first  real  wash  for  nine  days,  for  I  could 
hardly  count  to  my  credit  the  fact  that  my  finger-tips 
were  cleaned  morning  and  evening  when  washing  my 
cup  and  spoon  with  a  little  of  our  precious  fluid. 

As  for  provisions,  meat  we  had  not  eaten  since  our 
departure  from  the  Colorado  River,  except  for  the  first 
few  days,  and  it  is  difficult  to  keep  a  Mexican  contented 
without  it,  though  the  delicious  mullets  caught  had 
helped  us  out  immensely;  flour  we  had  had  to  econo- 
mize much,  and  for  the  previous  four  or  five  days  there 
had  been  an  actual  shortage;  we  had  enough  rice,  coff^ee, 
sugar,  but  our  main  standby  was  tepari,  the  small  white 
beans  of  the  Sonora  Indian  and  Mexican.  The  extent 
of  their  cultivation  in  Mexico  I  do  not  know,  for  I  have 
not  seen  them  outside  of  Sonora.  I  cannot  myself  too 
strongly  recommend  them  for  regions  suitable  to  them. 
While  the  ordinary  white  beans  have  little  flavor  of  their 
own,  these  tepari  have  quite  a  strong  and  very  pleas- 
ant one,  and  even  the  water  in  which  they  are  cooked 
makes  an  agreeable  sauce.  They  contain  much  fat  in 
themselves  and  they  cook  in  a  short  time,  which  is  an- 
other great  advantage. 

The  next  day  I  arrived  at  Sonoita  with  a  feeling  of 
satisfaction  in  having  successfully  accomplished  the  first 
half  of  my  exploration  of  the  desert  south-west  of  that 
place.  It  was  toward  the  end  of  February  and  spring- 
time greeted  us  in  the  oasis.  Already  at  a  distance  the 
attractive  light  green  color  of  the  cotton-wood  trees  (Span- 
ish, alamo)  and  willows  were  evident,  the  new  leaves 
being  half-grown;  peach,  apple,  and  almond  trees  were 


288  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


in  bloom,  and  the  verdure  of  the  wheat-fields  among  the 
Indian  houses  was  pleasing  to  the  eye. 

Sr.  Isauro  Quiroz  received  us  with  whole-souled  heart- 
iness and  invited  the  whole  expedition  to  a  meal  in  his 
house,  Guadalupe  sitting  down  at  the  table  afterward, 
for  there  was  not  room  enough  for  all  at  the  same  time 
in  the  hospitable  little  dining-room.  The  fresh  eggs 
tasted  delicious,  and  I  felt  as  if  I  had  arrived  in  civiliza- 
tion again,  for  everything  is  relative  in  this  world. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 


NEW  EXPEDITION  WESTWARD— GROWLER  WELL— A  HARDY  OLD 
PAPAGO— DISAGREEABLE  EXPERIENCE  WITH  A  MEXICAN  OF 
MY  PARTY— A  VALUABLE  NEW  MEMBER— PAPAGO  LOYALTY— 
PRONGHORN  ANTELOPE  AGAIN— MOUNTAIN-SHEEP  INSIDE 
OF  A  CRATER— I  LEAVE  MY  MAIN  CAMP— MY  TWO  COMPAN- 
IONS—RISKS TAKEN  BY  THE  PROSPECTOR— DECEPTIVE  AT- 
MOSPHERE—OUR GUIDING  STAR— READING  TRACKS— SOLITUDE 
—BEAUTY  OF  THE  DESERT 

On  our  first  day  in  Sonoita  a  fresh  south-westerly 
breeze  which  later  changed  to  northerly  made  it  impos- 
sible to  Start  the  patient  burros  grinding  for  us  in  the 
flour  mills,  but  the  following  days  were  spent  busily 
preparing  for  the  new  expedition,  and  on  Thursday, 
March  3,  I  was  able  to  start  again  westward.  My  prin- 
cipal object  was  to  reach  Sierra  del  Rosario,  around 
which  I  had  travelled  at  a  distance  without  having  found 
a  visit  practicable.  Sr.  Isauro  Quiroz  insisted  that  no 
white  man  had  ever  been  there,  but  however  that  may  be, 
it  is  certain  that  nobody  from  Sonoita  or  Colonia  Lerdo 
had  ever  gone  there.  By  taking  different  routes  from 
those  I  had  followed  before,  I  expected  to  be  able  to 
complete  my  knowledge  of  the  desert. 

My  first  objective  point  was  Quitovaquita,  where  this 
time  I  hoped  to  have  better  success  in  inducing  old 
Pancho,  the  medicine-man,  to  go  with  me.  His  daugh- 
ter, whose  illness  on  the  occasion  of  my  first  visit  had 
then  prevented  him  from  accepting  my  invitation,  had 

died  since.    We  found  the  place  deserted,  but  the  cattle 

289 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


of  the  Indians  were  still  being  watered  at  the  dam,  and 
through  the  herders  we  were  informed  of  the  where- 
abouts of  the  owners,  who  had  moved  to  a  camp  called 
El  Pozo,  which  was  at  no  great  distance.  We  accord- 
ingly followed  them  and  made  our  camp  at  the  same 
place.  As  nothing  can  be  accomplished  in  a  hurry  with 
Indians,  I  improved  the  occasion  by  taking  a  trip  far- 
ther up  in  Arizona  to  Bates's  Well,  or  El  Veit,  as  the 
Mexicans  name  that  locality,  and  which  is  now  curiously 
called  the  Growler  Well.  There  is  a  copper  mine  here, 
but  work  on  it  has  been  suspended,  and  the  place  is  in- 
habited by  very  few  people.  An  American  who  was  in 
charge  of  the  mine  and  the  store  received  me  hospitably. 
He  invited  me  to  a  square  meal  or  two,  presented  me 
with  some  copies  of  magazines  and  recent  newspapers, 
and,  above  all,  helped  me  out  with  a  new  supply  of  rope 
for  my  outfit,  of  which  I  was  sadly  in  need. 

The  news  of  the  day  was  that  a  week  ago  an  Ameri- 
can had  been  found  dead  on  the  playa  north  of  Pinacate. 
Caravajales,  the  Indian  hermit  of  Los  Papagos  tank,  had 
come  across  the  body  which  had  been  badly  used  by  the 
coyotes,  and  a  black  jacket  had  been  found  hanging  in  a 
tree  near  by.  Another  report  was  brought  to  me  that 
the  ''professor,''  meaning  myself,  had  also  died  from 
thirst,  and  that  the  coyotes  had  dragged  away  his  head. 
This  last  confused  rumor  probably  related  to  the  human 
remains  found  in  a  boat  by  members  of  my  party. 

At  this  place  there  lives  a  very  old  Papago,  Jose 
Juan,  father  of  a  restless,  unapproachable  Indian  called 
Agustin.    The  man  is  reputed  to  be  one  hundred  and 


THE  WISDOM  OF  AGE 


291 


fifteen  years  old,  and  he  certainly  looked  as  if  he  might 
have  reached  at  least  a  hundred.  As  we  entered  his 
house  he  rose  to  a  sitting  position,  but  was  short  of  breath 
and  could  not  talk  much  to  us,  he  said,  owing  to  a  re- 
cent accident  while  drunk.  Considering  that  the  old 
man  had  been  intoxicated  on  the  white  man's  brandy  for 
three  days,  the  state  of  his  health  was  certainly  wonder- 
ful. He  had  all  his  mental  faculties  intact,  and  was  one 
of  those  who  after  a  sufficiently  long  acquaintance  might 
give  a  good  deal  of  truthful  information.  According  to 
him,  the  sand  Papagoes  often  camped  in  the  winter-time 
at  Sierra  Blanca.  The  Apaches  in  their  raids  used  to  go 
as  far  as  that  mountain  range.  There  was  rain  for- 
merly every  year,  but  it  was  no  longer  so,  he  said.  He 
spoke  of  some  big  bones  he  had  seen  among  the  great 
sand  dunes,  and  in  regard  to  the  ruins  of  a  mission  in  the 
western  desert,  rumors  of  which  are  current  among  the 
Mexicans,  he  said  he  knew  nothing  about  them,  though 
he  had  spent  most  of  his  life  among  the  dunes.  He  also 
professed  ignorance  concerning  the  existence  of  a  smaller 
salt  water  lagoon  east  of  Laguna  Prieta;  however,  it  is 
doubtful  whether  he  wanted  to  tell  the  truth  about  this. 

In  regard  to  his  son  Agustin's  silver  mine,  of  which 
both  Indians  and  Mexicans  have  much  to  relate,  includ- 
ing the  oft-told  tale  of  pure  silver  being  melted  by  mistake 
for  the  making  of  bullets,  he  was  less  reserved,  and  said 
that  it  was  on  top  of  the  Cabeza  Prieta  range,  not  far 
from  the  tinaja  in  the  same  direction  as  we  travelled, 
which  would  be  west  of  it.  He  demanded  kok  peso,  two 
dollars,  for  permission  to  photograph  him. 


292 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


On  my  return  to  El  Pozo  I  had  a  disagreeable  experi- 
ence with  a  Mexican  in  my  party  owing  to  the  story  of  the 
dead  American  on  the  playa.  The  report  might  or  might 
not  be  true,  such  tragedies  are  by  no  means  unknown  in 
the  desert,  but  this  one  had  an  entirely  unexpected  effect 
on  the  man,  who  was  otherwise  intelligent  and  useful 
though  shifty.  He  was  not  afraid  of  the  corpse  to  be 
sure,  but  connected  the  tragic  occurrence  with  two  Mexi- 
cans who  just  before  our  start  had  passed  through  Sonoita, 
on  their  way  westward  to  Tinajas  Altas.  As  travellers  in 
that  part  of  the  country  are  very  rare,  the  people  of  Sono- 
ita always  wonder  what  their  business  may  be,  and  some- 
times they  are  suspicious  of  them.  The  two  men  were 
from  Douglas,  Arizona,  and  had  not  found  it  expedient 
to  inform  anybody  concerning  the  exact  aim  of  their 
journey.  In  fact,  although  they  looked  all  right,  they 
had  aroused  some  suspicion  in  my  Mexican  by  giving 
various  accounts  about  their  destination.  He  immedi- 
ately jumped  to  the  conclusion  that  these  two  men  had 
something  to  do  with  the  dead,  and  in  the  presence  of  all 
said  to  me:  ''You  carry  much  money  and  had  better  go 
by  another  route;  I  am  not  going  to  stand  by  you;  I 
will  run  away  on  my  mare." 

"Well,  I  am  going  to  persevere,  and  I  know  the  Papa- 
goes  will,"  I  calmly  answered.  ''I  am  glad  you  gave  me 
notice  beforehand,  but  you  will  have  no  occasion  to  do 
as  you  intend,"  I  added. 

He  then  addressed  the  Papagoes  to  get  them  to  agree 
with  him,  but  they  gave  no  answer,  and  only  smiled. 

''You  know  I  carry  little  money,  and  I  do  not  care 


SEDITIOUS  TALK 


293 


whether  I  lose  the  Httle  I  have;  my  note-books  interest 
me  much  more/'  I  thought  it  expedient  to  interject. 

''The  books  do  not  interest  us,  do  they?"  he  again 
addressed  the  Papagoes,  who  remained  silent.  It  was 
very  satisfactory  to  see  them  standing  with  me  as  firm  as 
a  wall.  As  I  walked  away  I  heard  him  saying  to  Guada- 
lupe, ''Really  there  is  something  in  this;  we  ought  not  to 
expose  ourselves  to  danger  in  this  way,"  and  again  there 
was  no  answer.  How  disagreeable  it  is  to  discover  that 
a  man  is  morally  and  physically  a  coward.  The  next 
morning,  before  our  start,  he  sat  mending  the  cover  of  one 
of  my  three  large  canteens.  "I  am  doing  good  work," 
he  said;  "a  canteen  will  prove  very  important  yonder. 
In  the  desert  a  man  would  see  the  mouth  of  my  rifle  barrel 
rather  than  that  of  my  canteen,"  meaning  thereby  that 
he  would  rather  give  a  bullet  from  his  rifle  than  water  from 
his  canteen.  In  other  ways  he  had  some  good  qualities; 
he  was  honest  to  the  core,  and  was  a  very  serviceable 
cook.  Discharging  him  was  out  of  the  question;  his 
services  were  indispensable  to  the  success  of  the  expedi- 
tion, for  in  that  country  men  are  scarce  or  not  to  be  had, 
and  any  delay  would  have  been  fatal  on  account  of  the 
approaching  hot  season. 

Pancho,  the  old  medicine-man,  was  induced  to  go  with 
us,  but  in  the  morning  as  we  were  starting  he  came  to  in- 
form me  that  his  donkey  could  not  be  found.  Surely,  if 
it  did  not  come,  he  would  not  be  able  to  accompany  us, 
and  I  was  afraid  that  this  might  be  a  scheme  of  his  wife  to 
prevent  him  from  going  with  us.  But  he  was  too  impor- 
tant a  man  for  me  to  allow  him  to  fail  us,  so  I  sent  word  to 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


the  pack  train,  which  had  started  already,  to  stop,  and  I 
remained  myself.  An  hour  later,  to  my  delight,  he  came 
trotting  briskly  along  on  his  small  donkey. 

Our  first  camp  was  made  at  La  Papaga  gold  mine, 
near  the  border,  which  is  not  being  worked,  but  where  a 
good  artesian  well  has  been  made.  It  is  over  a  hundred 
feet  to  the  water,  which  is  said  to  be  more  than  that 
number  of  feet  deep,  and  it  took  two  hours  to  water  our 
animals.  Some  American  prospectors  were  camped  here. 
One  party  of  them  had  just  come  in  from  the  west  and 
reported  that  there  was  no  water  in  the  Tule  well,  which 
lay  on  our  proposed  route.  By  digging  in  the  sand  they 
had  managed  to  get  some  for  their  animals,  though  it  was 
very  bad  and  ill-smelling.  They  spoke  of  having  met 
some  suspicious  looking  Mexicans  at  Tinajas  Altas  who 
seemed  destitute  of  everything  except  arms  and  full  cart- 
ridge belts,  and  were  very  non-committal  in  regard  to  their 
errand.  The  Americans  had  even  been  led  to  believe 
that  they  were  waiting  to  meet  me,  and  had  given  them 
some  provisions.  Another  party  of  two  Americans,  who 
were  prospecting  in  the  neighborhood  of  La  Papaga,  had 
just  brought  in  provisions  from  Ajo,  as  well  as  some  more 
details  of  the  story  of  the  dead  man  on  the  playa.  All 
this  was  too  much  for  my  impulsive  Mexican  who  de- 
clared he  would  not  go.  ''If  you  go,  you  will  have  no 
arrieros  (muleteers  or  packers)  with  you!"  he  exclaimed. 

I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  it  was  best  to  ensure  my- 
self against  further  thoughtless  and  cowardly  remarks  by 
leaving  their  author  behind — not  here,  however,  but  in 
the  Pinacate  region.    I  resolved  to  go  to  Tinaja  de  los 


CHASING  MOUNTAIN-SHEEP  295 


Papagos  and  establish  a  main  camp  there  from  which 
with  two  Indians  I  would  make  the  intended  expedition 
alone.  I  was  pleasantly  surprised  when  early  next  morn- 
ing Guadalupe,  as  spokesman  for  the  Indians,  came  to  me 
in  my  tent  and  said:  ''Listen,  Don  Carlos,  that  is  not 
right.  We  will  go  with  you.  It  is  for  this  that  we  are 
here."  I  suggested  that  it  was  not  worth  while  to  pay 
attention  to  the  Mexican.  *'We  did,"  he  said,  ''and  it 
did  not  appear  to  us  right  to  talk  like  that."  I  thanked 
him  for  this  and  he  walked  off  looking  for  his  burros. 

Old  Doctor  Pancho,  of  small  stature  and  riding  a 
small  burro,  led  the  way.  As  we  were  riding  between 
some  low  hills  he  suddenly  showed  animation,  pointing 
out  fresh  tracks  of  mountain-sheep.  While  we  halted, 
Pedro,  a  Papago  who  is  an  excellent  shot,  climbed  up  one 
of  the  hills,  while  our  Mexican,  who  was  also  a  successful 
hunter,  set  out  to  investigate  the  tracks,  galloping  around 
the  hills.  Soon  two  shots  were  heard  from  Pedro,  who 
was  running  fast  along  the  ridge;  two  sheep  ran  in  front 
of  him,  both  evidently  wounded,  for  he  threw  stones  after 
them  in  his  anger.  One  fell  and  the  other  continued  its 
flight,  pursued  by  more  shots.  It  made  its  way  toward 
us  and  stopped,  paralyzed  in  its  hind  legs,  as  it  had  been 
shot  in  the  spine.  A  third  one  had  been  wounded  and,  as 
I  did  not  like  to  go  without  putting  it  out  of  its  suffering, 
I  decided  to  remain  here  over  night. 

The  locality  was  quite  attractive  with  much  pasture 
and  an  abundance  of  palo  fierro.  There  was  general 
contentment  in  camp  since  the  always  vexing  problem  of 
carne  had  been  solved  so  quickly  and  easily.     The  even- 


296  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


ing  was  agreeably  warm,  70°  F.  at  seven  o'clock,  and  a 
soft  breeze  was  blowing  from  the  north-east  and  some- 
times from  the  south,  obliging  me  to  be  continually  chang- 
ing my  seat  at  the  fire  in  order  to  avoid  the  smoke  while 
I  was  toasting  my  tortillas.  The  following  day,  in  the 
morning,  Pedro  returned  with  the  third  sheep.  They 
were  all  young  females  and  the  skin  of  the  youngest  was 
preserved. 

After  having  travelled  across  a  large  plain,  part  of 
which  is  called  La  Playa  and  presents  the  unusual  specta- 
cle of  greasewoods  that  are  sickly  looking,  small,  and  grow- 
ing close  together,  we  passed  Monument  180  standing 
like  an  outpost  on  the  great  lava  flow  of  Pinacate.  We 
then  made  for  Tinaja  de  los  Papagos,  which,  on  account 
of  malpais,  cannot  be  reached  by  a  direct  line.  As  we 
were  passing  the  rim  of  a  great  crater,  only  five  or  six 
miles  from  our  destination,  we  discovered  two  antelopes 
among  the  desert  vegetation,  standing  motionless  at  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  distant  and  looking  at  us. 
We  halted  and  Pedro  was  dispatched  to  try  to  secure  them. 
Unfortunately,  one  antelope  was  only  wounded,  one  of  its 
forelegs  being  broken  near  the  shoulder,  and  this  did 
not  prevent  it  from  running  extremely  fast  on  its  three 
remaining  legs.  In  spite  of  a  most  zealous  chase  for 
hours  the  next  morning,  it  showed  as  much  agility  as  if 
nothing  had  happened  to  it,  and  finally  the  pursuit  had 
to  be  given  up. 

Our  animals  after  forty-eight  hours  without  water 
were  glad  to  drink;  the  work  had  not  been  hard  and  the 
heat  of  the  last  days  was  never  greater  than  86°  F.  in  the 


PHOTOGRAPHING  MOUNTAIN-SHEEP  297 


shade.  At  the  tank  in  the  evening  pigeons  by  the  hun- 
dreds were  still  in  evidence,  and  two  or  three  shots  from 
my  gun  furnished  me  with  delicious  food  for  several  days. 

I  was  desirous  of  getting  some  photographs  of  the 
mountain-sheep  by  visiting  the  neighboring  crater  again, 
as  perchance  some  might  have  found  their  way  into  it 
this  time.  As  we  went  toward  our  two  previously  assigned 
places  nearly  half-way  down,  the  noise  from  the  cinders  in 
which  we  were  sliding  started  out  a  mountain-sheep  at  the 
bottom  of  the  ample  crater.  He  came  running  out  of 
the  large  talus  to  the  llano  below  and  seemed  very  shy. 

We  took  up  our  different  positions  and  Pedro,  much 
against  his  inclination,  was  ordered  to  descend  the  three 
or  four  hundred  feet  that  remained  in  order  to  startle 
the  animal  so  that  he  would  come  up  and  pass  before  the 
camera.  The  effect  of  Pedro's  arrival  at  the  bottom 
was  to  make  the  sheep  ascend  the  talus,  just  opposite  to 
where  I  was  seated.  It  then  ran  swiftly  and  sideways 
across  the  accumulation  of  rocks  as  easily  as  a  horse 
gallops  over  a  plain.  According  to  Mexican  accounts 
the  mountain-sheep  is  at  a  disadvantage  on  level  coun- 
try, and  a  galloping  horse  easily  overtakes  it,  but  among 
the  loose  rocks  he  showed  his  agility  to  the  best  advan- 
tage. Approaching  in  this  manner  the  place  where  the 
first  exit  was  possible,  the  toro  (ram)  suddenly  stopped 
some  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  from  the  man  who  was 
watching  there.  He  stood  quietly  for  fully  ten  minutes 
when  I  asked  Guadalupe,  who  was  placed  not  far  from 
me,  to  fire  a  shot  from  his  rifle  to  start  him  again.  The 
sound,  with  its  reverberating  echoes,  had  the  desired 


298  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


effect,  and  the  animal  resumed  its  circling  of  the  crater, 
this  time  lowering  its  course  somewhat  and  stopping  now 
and  then  as  if  uncertain  which  way  to  go  and  how  to 
defeat  the  enemies'  designs. 

A  knoll  soon  hid  the  sheep  from  view  and  made  it 
impossible  for  me  to  follow  him,  though  I  expected  soon 
to  see  him  emerge  and  pass  my  stand.  Suddenly  the 
man  at  the  other  station  shouted:  ^^Arriha!''  (Higher 
up!).  The  animal  had  taken  an  unexpected  route,  and 
I  made  as  fast  as  I  could  for  the  top  of  the  knoll,  just 
in  time  to  catch  him  at  forty  yards'  distance  as  he  stood 
wavering  for  a  few  seconds  before  continuing  his  flight 
to  the  upper  part  of  the  crater.  Swiftly  he  scaled  the 
slippery  cinders  in  a  straight  line  for  the  rim,  and  then 
my  men,  who  in  the  meantime  had  contained  themselves 
with  difficulty,  were  allowed  to  fire,  but  the  distances  were 
considerable  and  the  animal  easily  made  his  escape. 

On  Tuesday,  March  15,  I  left  my  camp  to  make  the 
intended  exploration  of  the  sand  dune  country  west  of 
there.  I  was  accompanied  only  by  two  Indians,  Pedro 
and  the  old  medicine-man,  Pancho,  both  belonging  to 
the  sand  people,  the  latter  being  one  of  the  few  left  who 
had  actually  lived  there.  He  spoke  no  Spanish  nor  Eng- 
lish and  was  not  particularly  distinguished  by  any  pro- 
found knowledge  of  the  art  of  travel,  but  he  was  business- 
like in  his  silent  ways  and  reliable,  though  extremely 
sensitive  and  apt  to  imagine  a  cause  of  offence  where 
none  had  been  given.  Pedro  spoke  Spanish,  was  an 
efficient  packer,  could  make  tortillas,  and  was  a  good 
all-round  man,  quick  in  his  actions  but  often  careless. 


INTO  THE  HILLS 


299 


He  was  unusually  intelligent,  though  of  an  unpleasant, 
uneven  temper.  We  had  selected  the  best  animals,  all 
burros,  with  the  exception  of  my  riding  mule,  and  took 
along  only  the  most  necessary  things,  leaving  my  tent 
and  cot  behind.  Water  would  be  scarce  on  the  road,  so 
we  filled  our  large  canteens  in  addition  to  the  barrels, 
which  usually  furnished  us  with  water  for  three  days.  I 
was  glad  to  be  off,  and  felt  free  and  ready  for  action. 

The  Indians  on  their  trips  from  Los  Papagos  to  Tina- 
jas  Altas  used  to  go  through  the  pass  between  Sierra 
del  Tuseral  and  Sierra  Nina.  I  chose  an  unusual  route, 
skirting  the  latter's  southernmost  point,  which  is  a  more 
laborious  one  on  account  of  sand  dunes  to  be  crossed 
there.  A  dry  arroyo  passes  between  this  point  and  a 
high  wall  of  sand  dunes  and  then  runs  west  for  a  very 
short  distance  before  it  is  lost  in  the  sand.  Our  animals 
worked  well  with  the  exception  of  the  ''doctor's"  little 
burro,  which  did  not  like  the  trip,  but  later  mended  its 
ways. 

It  was  somewhat  surprising  to  find  that  the  waves 
of  the  large  sand  dunes  reached  quite  up  to  the  foot 
of  the  south-western  part  of  the  Sierra  Nina.  While 
looking  for  a  camping  place  here,  I  met  with  the  start- 
ling sight  of  a  pair  of  blue  overalls,  quite  new  looking, 
lying  among  the  dunes,  and  a  few  yards  farther  I  came 
across  a  red  woven  blanket  of  poor  quality.  The  Ind- 
ians both  declared  without  hesitation  that  they  had  be- 
longed to  *'MeHcano"  (an  American).  No  place  seems 
deterrent  to  the  prospector;  he  is  lured  farther  and  far- 
ther away,  for  what  he  is  looking  for  may  be  found  just 


\ 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


in  some  lonely  hill  that  looms  up  before  his  eyes  among 
the  sand  dunes.  He  throws  all  caution  to  the  winds  and 
only  on  his  return  does  the  water  question  become  seri- 
ous to  him.  This  one  probably  had  attached  some  hope 
of  water  to  the  dry  arroyo  which  is  here  covered  with 
sand  but  is  traceable  among  the  dunes  by  the  experi- 
enced eye.  His  senses  became  bewildered  and  the  last 
stage  of  suffering  from  thirst  had  probably  been  reached 
when  he  began  to  throw  off  his  clothes;  such  would  be 
the  account  of  all  those  who  know  the  desert.  When 
we  made  our  camp  near  some  palo  fierro  trees,  Pedro 
told  me  that  Doctor  Pancho  had  taken  possession  of  the 
red  blanket.  It  was  a  ghastly  relic  to  carry  along,  so  I 
offered  him  two  pesos  (dollars)  to  leave  it  behind,  to 
which  he  readily  consented,  laughing  at  the  same  time 
in  his  quiet  way. 

The  sand  dunes,  which  seemed  eternal,  were  found 
the  next  morning  to  be  at  this  point  a  small  branch  from 
the  main  body,  running  in  waves  from  south-west  to 
north-east,  and  they  were  only  a  mile  and  a  half  across. 
After  passing  them  we  travelled  over  hard,  gravelly 
soil;  on  my  left,  south-westward,  as  we  followed  Sierra 
Nina  to  its  end,  was  spread  before  my  eyes  a  vast  ex- 
panse of  llanos  and  sand  dunes,  with  Sierra  del  Viejo 
running  into  it  from  a  northern  direction,  and  mountain 
tops  appearing  here  and  there — a  lonely  vista,  but  not 
depressing. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  clear  air  of  the  desert  exag- 
gerates detail  and  makes  distant  objects  look  near;  this, 
of  course,  is  undeniable,  but  the  opposite  seems  equally 


TRYING  TO  KEEP  OUR  ANIMALS 


true,  for  distant  objects,  such  as  mountains,  again  and 
again,  appear  farther  away  and  much  larger  than  they 
are  in  reahty.  The  sierras  of  the  desert  look  impressively 
large  at  a  distance  of  from  ten  to  fifteen  miles,  but,  on 
approaching  them,  it  is  found  to  be  a  small  matter  to 
scale  them,  as  they  may  rise  above  the  plains  only  one 
or  two  thousand  feet.  The  afternoon  of  the  preceding 
day  I  had  a  striking  example  of  this  deception  after  hav- 
ing gone  through  a  very  small  pass  in  the  southernmost 
part  of  Sierra  Nina;  the  pass  itself  could  not  have  been 
more  than  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  above  the  surface,  and 
the  knoll,  which  was  thus  separated  from  the  main  range, 
could  not  have  been  over  fifty  feet  high,  still,  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile  farther  on,  in  looking  back  at  the  lit- 
tle pass,  the  knoll  and  the  range  looked  very  much  larger 
and  higher,  and,  in  fact,  from  my  point  of  view,  which 
was  lower,  they  made  quite  an  impressive  appearance 
among  the  dunes. 

We  struck  the  old  Indian  trail  alluded  to  above, 
which,  however,  is  indistinct  and  difficult  to  follow  near 
the  base  of  Sierra  de  la  Lechugilla.  Our  animals  all 
seemed  very  determined  to  wend  their  way  back  again 
to  Los  Papagos;  this  was  our  second  day  out  and,  being 
thirsty,  they  were  likely  to  stray,  so  under  conditions  such 
as  these,  where  water  is  found  at  such  great  intervals, 
it  is  imperative  to  hobble  the  animals  very  carefully  for 
the  night  in  order  to  secure  against  their  loss,  which 
might  be  fatal  to  the  expedition.  *'We  are  going  to 
watch  them  until  the  moon  sets,"  said  Pedro,  but  he 
was  kept  busy  all  through  the  night  turning  them  back. 


302  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


and  one  of  them,  my  riding  mule,  had  finally  to  be  tied. 
In  this  way  they  had  little  to  eat  and  in  the  morning  the 
burros  overran  our  ''kitchen,''  putting  their  noses  into  our 
boxes  and  trying  to  bite  holes  in  our  flour  bags;  they 
also  attempted  to  remove  the  plugs  from  the  water  barrels. 

As  usual,  we  had  begun  the  day  in  darkness.  Our 
way  of  knowing  the  time  for  rising  was  from  the  height 
of  the  planet  Venus  above  the  horizon,  her  approximate 
position  being  pointed  out  in  the  sky  the  evening  before. 
We  managed  to  get  an  early  start  in  order  to  reach 
Tinajas  Altas  in  good  time,  for  this  was  our  third  day 
without  water.  The  picturesque  tree,  ocotillo  (fouqut- 
eria  splendens)^  was  noticeable  everywhere  growing  in 
great  profusion  on  the  gravelly  soil.  Its  magnificent 
vermilion-red  flowers  growing  in  tufts  at  the  end  of 
slender  branches  which  emerge  from  a  subterranean 
stem,  in  the  manner  of  a  bouquet,  looked  splendid  against 
the  sombre  gray  background  of  the  sierras.  The  flowers 
appear  before  the  leaves  and  on  some  of  these  plants 
the  leaves  were  beginning  to  show.  Also  a  good  many 
species  of  cacti  were  observed,  two  of  them  with  reddish 
flowers.  It  is  curious  that  in  the  wide  area  along  the 
coast  south  and  west  of  Sierra  de  Lechugilla,  Gila  Range, 
Pinacate,  and  Sierra  Blanca,  cacti  are  so  rare  that  they 
almost  disappear. 

We  travelled  at  a  good  steady  pace  along  the  weather- 
worn northern  end  of  Sierra  de  la  Lechugilla.  In  a 
thicket  of  a  dry  arroyo  I  tried  to  take  some  snapshots  of 
a  quail  which  exposed  itself  temptingly  to  my  photo- 
graphic inclinations,  and  thus  I  fell  ten  or  fifteen  min- 


LEFT  BEHIND  303 

utes  behind  my  men.  There  were  many  thickets  along 
the  sandy  arroyo  in  which  their  tracks  were  very  easy 
to  follow.  As  my  party  was  so  close  ahead  of  me,  I 
did  not  pay  much  attention  to  the  quality  of  the  tracks 
that  after  a  while  were  found  to  lead  across  the  arroyo 
toward  a  valley  in  the  northern  end  of  the  sierra.  Per- 
haps my  men  had  made  a  detour  to  see  if  there  were 
water  in  the  small  tinaja  which  Clodomiro  Lopez  had 
discovered  there,  and  which  could  not  be  so  very  far 
away.  A  little  farther  along  I  made  out  fresh  tracks  of 
nailed  boots;  horses  had  passed  as  well  as  burros  and, 
as  the  man  evidently  had  returned  the  same  way  he  had 
gone,  it  was  difficult  to  distinguish  the  tracks  I  was  fol- 
lowing. I  had  to  cut  across  the  bottom  of  the  valley 
to  make  more  sure  of  what  I  saw  and  it  became  quite 
plain  that  two  horses,  three  burros,  and  one  mule  had 
passed  here  and  that,  consequently,  my  party  had  followed 
another  course,  so  I  returned  to  the  arroyo  and  took  the 
right  tracks  up  again. 

My  mule  not  having  eaten  anything  the  previous  night, 
and  having  sweat  much  the  day  before,  was  worn  out,  and 
I  had  walked  on  foot  for  an  hour  and  a  half,  dragging  my 
animal  along,  when  the  footprints  I  followed  halted  at  a 
long,  low  ridge,  bare  and  stony;  here,  too,  the  man  with 
the  nailed  boots  and  his  animals  appeared  again  making 
confusion.  I  was  not  lost,  for  my  '*bump  of  locality"  is 
well  developed,  and  there  is  nothing  to  fear  under  circum- 
stances like  these  if  one  keeps  one's  head  cool.  The  only 
thing  to  do  was  to  make  a  large  circle  of  the  country  to 
cut  the  tracks,  as  the  expression  goes,  but  it  was  vexa- 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


tious,  nevertheless,  to  have  all  this  trouble.  My  Indians 
had  hurried  along,  of  course,  for  the  sake  of  their  animals, 
and  it  would  never  occur  to  them  that  I  should  have  any 
difficulty  in  following  them.  I  did  not  know  how  far 
away  Tinajas  Altas  was,  but  once  on  their  tracks  it  would 
be  easy  to  find ;  daylight  was  essential  for  this,  but  even  if 
I  should  have  to  stay  out  for  the  night,  it  would  not  be 
any  great  misfortune,  for  I  had  plenty  of  water  in  my 
canteen.  The  weather  was  rather  sultry  and  there  were 
cirrus  and  cirro-cumulus  clouds  which  sometimes  hid  the 
sun  from  view,  but  it  did  not  feel  warm,  as  a  soft  breeze 
from  the  north-west  was  blowing. 

Having  made  sure  that  my  men  had  travelled  in  no 
other  direction,  I  returned  to  the  low  stony  ridge,  and  by  a 
careful  examination  I  found  that  stones  had  been  scratched 
or  turned  over,  indicating  the  way  they  had  passed.  They 
had  followed  the  crest  of  the  ridge  for  a  couple  of  hundred 
yards,  then  descended,  making  for  the  range  of  the  Tinajas 
Altas.  I  followed  their  tracks  up  to  a  mile's  distance  from 
the  range,  then  I  knew  I  was  right,  so  I  directed  my  steps 
to  a  fresh  looking  palo  fierro  for  a  short  and  well-earned 
rest  in  its  grateful  though  scanty  shade  before  continu- 
ing my  journey.  My  mule  took  to  the  green  leaves  of 
this  attractive  desert  tree,  while  I  had  a  frugal  lunch  of 
toasted  wheat  and  some  California  dried  prunes. 

In  my  meandering  course  that  day  I  had  come  across 
many  tracks  of  which  the  most  conspicuous  were  those  of 
the  wagons  employed  fourteen  years  ago  by  the  Inter- 
national Boundary  Commission,  and  which  in  countries 
other  than  arid  might  have  been  judged  a  few  months  old. 


NEWS  OF  THE  WILDS 


They  had  had  a  camp  somewhere  between  the  two  sierras 
and  water  was  brought  from  Tinajas  Ahas.  Tracks 
left  by  human  activity  in  a  sohtary  region  Hke  this  are 
disturbing  and  seem  to  be  out  of  harmony  with  the  rest  of 
nature.  To  one  who  for  the  first  time  travels  in  the 
desert,  the  attention  which  Indians  and  Mexicans  pay  to 
tracks,  whether  of  human  beings,  horses,  or  of  other  do- 
mestic animals,  is  not  understood,  while  those  of  wild  ani- 
mals seem  more  to  the  point.  All  tracks  are  to  them  as 
newspapers  to  us,  and  after  having  been  for  some  time 
in  the  desert,  one  becomes  equally  interested  in  the  stories 
they  tell. 

What  was  this  man  with  the  nailed  boots  doing  here  } 
Did  he  belong  to  the  party  of  suspicious  looking  Mexi- 
cans whom  the  American  prospectors  from  Tucson  pre- 
sented with  provisions  in  Tinajas  Altas  ?  Or  was  he  one 
of  those  whom  the  imagination  of  my  impulsive  Mexican 
credited  with  the  murder  of  an  American  found  dead  on 
the  playa }  The  hobnails  did  not  seem  to  favor  either 
theory.  In  this  part  of  the  continent  only  Americans  use 
that  kind  of  shoes;  Mexicans  prefer  those  of  lighter 
weight.  These  must  be  American  tracks  and  they  must 
be  those  of  a  prospector,  for  they  lead  along  the  moun- 
tain sides  and  the  prospector  likes  to  see  the  formation  of 
the  rocks  near  by.  The  tracks  did  not  point  to  some 
runaway,  because  they  appeared  in  different  parts,  as  if 
the  man  had  been  on  leisurely  business.  I  felt  reassured 
as  to  the  ''vileness  of  man,"  though  surely  the  prospect 
pleased"  in  spite  of  the  absence  of  water;  the  traveller  is, 
in  fact,  apt  to  forget  that  this  is  a  waterless  region. 


3o6  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


Along  the  banks  of  the  arroyo  where  I  had  my  siesta 
an  exuberant  growth  of  flowers  was  conspicuous  for  hun- 
dreds of  yards.  There  were  only  two  kinds,  and  they 
were  both  common  bushes  in  this  region,  but,  still  beauti- 
ful in  their  best  spring  attire  and  of  an  unusual  develop- 
ment, they  presented  a  garden-like  appearance.  Here 
chuparosas  grew  as  high  as  a  man  and  twice  that  in  diam- 
eter, each  with  thousands  of  labiate  flowers,  Venetian  red 
in  color.  Interspersed  with  them  was  the  white  brittle 
bush  bearing  a  dense  mass  of  bright  yellow  flowers  which 
resembled  marguerites.  There  was  no  dust  in  the  walks 
of  this  garden  of  nature,  but  only  the  cleanest,  sandy 
gravel.  Spring  was  in  the  air  and  I  had  seen  the  grease- 
woods  that  day  covered  with  their  lustrous  flowers.  In 
trying  to  photograph  the  quail  I  had  been  compelled  to 
make  my  way  through  a  luxuriant  growth  of  the  thorny 
quaviri  bush  now  in  leaf  and  with  blue  flowers,  and  the 
palo  verde,  from  which  my  quail  sent  forth  its  defiant 
and  melancholy  cry,  had  already  half  developed  blos- 
soms which  a  little  later  would  appear  in  extraordinary 
abundance. 

The  landscape  gave  an  impression  of  moist  sub- 
tropics  and  not  of  a  country  on  the  greater  part  of  which 
no  rain  had  fallen  for  nearly  half  a  year.  Probably  a 
scanty  flow  of  water  had  run  in  the  arroyo  for  the  last 
time  on  January  i,  when  it  rained  at  Yuma,  but,  rain 
or  no  rain,  spring  in  that  country  comes  as  usual,  and 
there  was  no  indication  of  the  lack  of  water.  To  be 
sure,  little  animal  life  was  seen  that  day  beyond  the 
quail  and  two  small  birds  which  told  me  that  water 


IN  COMMUNION  WITH  NATURE 


could  not  be  so  very  many  miles  away,  but  there  was 
nothing  to  depress  one  in  the  peaceful  landscape,  over 
which  the  sun  sent  its  wealth  of  light.  To  me  the  des- 
ert is  radiant  with  good  cheer;  superb  air  there  certainly 
is,  and  generous  sunshine,  and  the  hardy,  healthy  look- 
ing plants  and  trees  with  their  abundant  flowers  inspire 
courage.  One  feels  in  communion  with  nature  and  the 
great  silence  is  beneficial.  Could  I  select  the  place 
where  I  should  like  best  to  die,  my  choice  would  be  one 
such  as  this.  I  hope  at  least  it  may  not  fall  to  my  lot 
to  pass  away  in  New  York,  where  I  might  be  embalmed 
before  I  was  dead  and  where  it  costs  so  much  to  die 
that  I  might  not  leave  enough  wherewithal  to  defray  the 
expenses  of  a  funeral. 


CHAPTER  XIX 


I  OVERTAKE  MY  MEN— AGAIN  AT  TINAJAS  ALTAS— PROGRESS 
UNDER  DIFFICULTIES— EXPLORING  IN  LOS  MEDANOS—AS- 
TONISHING  DISPLAY  OF  FLOWERS— PICTURESQUE  CAMP  ON 
THE  DUNES— I  LOSE  MY  RIDING  MULE— SIERRA  DEL  ROSARIO 
—TRAVEL  AT  NIGHT— THE  WONDERFUL  "ROOT  OF  THE 
SANDS" 

My  mule  and  I  felt  better  for  the  little  rest  and  with 
fresh  gathered  strength  we  continued  our  tracking  and 
arrived  in  good  time  at  Tinajas  Altas,  where  I  was  de- 
lighted to  find  my  two  Indians.  Since  I  had  been  at  this 
place  last  some  bushes  had  been  burned  in  the  arroyo, 
and  there  had  also  been  dug  two  long,  deep  holes  in  the 
ground  which  served  immediately  to  solve  the  mystery 
surrounding  those  Mexicans  we  had  heard  of,  who  were 
so  strangely  behaving  and  so  well  armed.  They  had 
been  engaged  in  an  occupation  dearly  loved  by  many  of 
their  countrymen — that  of  digging  for  hidden  treasures. 
To  bury  money  was  the  usual  method  of  guarding  it 
during  the  period  of  unsettled  conditions  in  Mexico,  and 
rumor  has  it  that  a  great  deal  of  plata  (silver)  was  once 
deposited  in  this  place  for  safe-keeping.  People  who 
returned  from  California  in  the  fifties,  or  people  who 
robbed  those  who  did  not  return,  have  also  been  credited 
with  the  burying  of  treasures  here. 

At  six  o'clock,  after  a  fresh  gale  from  the  south, 

there  was  a  slight  attempt  at  rain,  which  was  repeated 

308 


THE  NEST  OF  THE  LITTLE  BIRD 


at  nine  o'clock  when  the  wind  ceased  and  the  moon 
broke  through  the  clouds.  A  few  birds  were  singing  at 
daybreak  and  there  were  numbers  of  bees  and  also  bum- 
blebees on  the  blossoms  of  the  greasewoods.  In  a  palo 
fierro  that  spread  its  branches  over  our  ''kitchen"  I  dis- 
covered the  nest  of  a  characteristic  desert  bird,  the  gnat- 
catcher  (polio ptila).  Curious  that  this  little  bird  could 
find  its  way  to  these  lonely,  hidden  pools,  fifty  miles 
from  the  nearest  watercourse,  I  climbed  up  to  take  a 
close  look  at  it.  Though  the  bird  on  the  nest  seemed 
restless,  continually  moving  her  black  head  to  either  side, 
she  still  remained  sitting,  and  only  repeated  warnings  of 
the  male,  which  darted  anxiously  down  toward  her, 
finally  caused  her  to  fly  away.  The  nest  was  cup- 
shaped  and  beautifully  made  of  steel  gray  fibre  taken 
from  the  seed  pods  of  a  certain  vine,  philihertea  linearis^ 
of  which  the  Papagoes  eat  the  pods  either  raw  or  boiled. 
Pedro,  upon  seeing  my  interest  in  the  nest,  expressed 
concern  lest  I  should  molest  it,  which  was  rather  sur- 
prising, as  he  did  not  seem  to  harbor  any  other  humane 
feelings  with  regard  to  animals  either  in  his  hunting  ex- 
peditions or  in  the  treatment  of  his  own  burro. 

The  sooner  we  undertook  the  proposed  expedition  to 
the  unexplored  sierra  the  better,  while  our  animals  were 
still  in  good  condition,  and  one  day's  rest  was  all  that 
could  be  allowed.  My  mule  had  drained  the  last  water 
in  the  lower  tank,  so  the  Indians  with  a  bucket  scooped 
down  some  eighty  gallons  from  the  one  next  above.  On 
the  morning  of  our  start  el  doctor  did  not  succeed  in  col- 
lecting the  burros  until  after  nine  o'clock.    Further  time 


3IO  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 

was  consumed  in  driving  them  up  to  the  tank  to  drink, 
and  after  their  loads  were  put  on  they  seemed  to  take 
unkindly  to  the  road  and  hid  themselves  among  the 
greasewood  bushes,  giving  my  men  no  end  of  trouble,  so 
it  was  nearly  eleven  o'clock  when  we  finally  got  under 
way. 

In  order  to  allow  my  mule,  which  was  very  tired  be- 
sides having  a  swollen  back,  to  recuperate,  I  rode  a 
burro,  the  first  experience  of  this  kind  in  my  life.  It 
was  not  exactly  pleasant,  for  the  tiny  though  strong 
animal  had  evidently  never  carried  a  rider  on  its  back 
before,  as  she  had  been  only  used  for  carrying  wood. 
She  had  absolutely  no  ''mouth"  and  only  a  garrotes 
was  it  possible  to  make  her  move,  and  even  that  way 
sometimes  failed.  However,  she  could  be  made  to  go 
as  long  as  she  saw  the  other  burros  ahead,  and  by  great 
and  continued  use  of  brute  force  I  managed  to  keep 
along  with  the  rest  of  the  party  up  to  the  southernmost 
point  of  the  range.  Here  I  had  to  stop  a  few  minutes  to 
take  an  observation  for  my  map,  a  sufficient  time  to  al- 
low the  pack  train  to  be  lost  from  sight  among  the  trees 
and  bushes,  and  therefore,  when  I  again  mounted  my 
diminutive  ass,  she  absolutely  refused  to  move  in  any  di- 
rection. I  had  to  dismount  and  try  to  drive  her  ahead 
of  me,  holding  her  by  the  rope,  but  only  by  running 
three  times  as  much  as  she  did,  in  order  to  prevent  her 
from  taking  the  wrong  direction,  and  continually  beating 
her,  could  I  manage  to  make  any  progress.  We  ran  into 
choyas,  the  spines  of  which  fastened  themselves  into  her 
face  and  onto  me,  and  there  was  nothing  else  to  do  but 


AN  EXASPERATING  RIDE  311 

to  get  rid  of  them,  as  they  are  troublesome  and  painful 
beyond  description;  then  she  would  run  in  under  the 
strong  thorny  branches  of  the  palo  fierro,  from  where 
she  could  be  extricated  only  with  the  most  energetic  use 
of  force  majeure.  After  having  advanced  in  this  way  two 
miles  in  a  blazing  sun,  I  found  Pedro  waiting  for  me 
farther  down  the  arroyo,  not  wishing  to  leave  me  be- 
hind again.  It  was  two  o'clock  and  we  were  both  hun- 
gry, but  ''A quel  se  fue'' — "he  [Pancho]  had  gone  on" 
— and  we  decided  not  to  lose  time  by  eating  lunch,  for 
I  wanted  to  get  as  near  the  mountains  as  possible  be- 
fore night. 

We  passed  the  mountain  that  I  call  Cerro  Pinto, 
to  the  south  of  the  sierra,  which  is  of  a  different,  very 
dark  color,  and  came  out  on  the  llanos  south-west  of  it. 
The  mountain  range,  which  was  our  goal,  here  presented 
itself  in  full  view.  It  runs  in  the  usual  direction  and 
consists  of  several  parts,  some  of  them  single  mountains, 
stretched  out  for  about  fourteen  miles.  There  are  two 
main  bodies  of  the  sierra,  each  little  range  being  per- 
haps four  miles  long;  then  follow  mountains  at  both 
ends,  more  or  less  connected,  some  of  them,  especially 
those  toward  the  north-west,  being  half  submerged  in 
huge  sand  dunes.  The  shape  of  the  mountains  is  the 
usual  one,  the  crests  resembling  the  teeth  of  a  saw. 
This  succession  of  hill-tops  is  conspicuous  even  at  a  great 
distance;  hence  the  name  of  rosario  (rosary),  which  has 
been  proposed,  is  appropriate  and  it  should  be  called 
Sierra  del  Rosario. 

The  soil  was  harder  than  expected,  and  travel,  ac- 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


cordingly,  was  quite  easy.  A  wagon  track,  which  was 
no  doubt  that  of  a  prospector,  led  out  in  the  same  direc- 
tion, but  after  a  mile  or  two  the  wagon  seemed  to  have 
turned  back.  A  belt  of  large,  bare  dunes  stretched  in 
front  of  us,  flanking  the  sierra  toward  the  north.  We 
steered  toward  the  central  part  where  the  dunes  are 
somewhat  lower. 

After  six  miles'  travel  from  Cerro  Pinto,  we  struck 
again  the  arroyo  which  we  had  left  there.  Its  course, 
which  lay  perhaps  only  a  mile  and  a  half  from  our  route, 
was  easily  distinguished  by  the  growth  of  palo  fierro  on 
its  banks,  and  farther  down  low  sand  dunes  appeared  on 
both  sides  of  it. 

On  reaching  the  arroyo  I  was  agreeably  surprised  by 
a  magnificent  display  of  flowers.  It  was  again  the  Oeno- 
thera trichocalyx  that  appeared,  but  on  a  much  vaster 
scale  than  anything  so  far  seen.  Innumerable  plants  sep- 
arated from  each  other  by  wide  spaces  seemed  like  old 
friends  to  me,  as  the  large,  pure  white  flowers  nodded  in 
the  mild,  south-western  breeze  of  a  late  afternoon.  The 
verdure  of  the  plants  was  intense  and  they  looked  as 
fresh  as  if  they  were  growing  on  the  highlands  of  Nor- 
way. Some  of  the  bunches  were  over  five  feet  in  diam- 
eter and  had  more  than  a  hundred  flowers.  It  may  be 
that  the  famous  rain  of  January  the  ist  of  an  other- 
wise rainless  winter  had  reached  here.  What  the  vast 
stretches  of  low  sand  dunes  in  that  western  region  are 
like,  after  the  ordinary  winter  showers,  may  be  easily 
imagined,  and  a  long  journey  to  see  them  would  be 
worth  the  while  of  a  lover  of  nature.    Although  the 


OENOTHERA  TRICHOCALYX,  NEAR  SlERRA  DEL  RoSARIO 


CEnOTHERA  TRICHOCALYX,  NEAR  SlERRA  DEL  ROSARIO.     A  FINE  GROWTH 


(EnOTHERA  TRICHOCALYX,  SOUTH  OF  SlERRA  BlANCA 


PERFUME  AND  FLOWERS  313 

white  flowers  were  the  most  conspicuous,  three  more 
species  were  growing  here.  There  would  be  places 
where  only  yellow  flowers  grew,  the  smaller  species 
{baileya  multiradiata)  reminding  one  of  certain  mar- 
guerites; the  larger  species  was  an  encelia.  Then  again, 
and  this  was  perhaps  more  frequent,  some  flowers  which 
resembled  verbena,  of  a  deep  rose  purple  {abronia  urn- 
hellata)  would  appear  exclusively;  they  grew  in  beds, 
close  to  the  surface,  and  made  a  most  charming  picture. 
These  had  a  strong  perfume  such  as  that  of  night  vio- 
lets, while  the  white  ones  had  only  a  slight  scent,  like 
that  of  water-lilies. 

It  was  half  an  hour  before  sunset  when  we  entered 
this  field  of  beauty,  the  men  wading  knee-deep  among 
the  flowers  and  paying  no  more  attention  to  them  than  if 
they  were  air,  while  the  burros  ate  them  as  they  passed 
along.  The  air  was  filled  with  perfume  during  the  three 
miles  we  travelled  through  this  most  attractive  nursery 
of  mother  nature.  We  then  climbed  up  on  the  great 
sand  dunes  and,  as  darkness  set  in,  made  camp  there, 
a  fine  view  of  the  sierra,  still  more  than  three  miles  dis- 
tant, before  us. 

I  warned  Pedro  to  hobble  all  the  animals  especially 
well.  There  was  no  other  danger  than  that  of  losing 
some  animal  in  the  night  through  carelessness  in  tying 
the  rope  which  binds  their  forelegs  together.  He  as- 
sured me  that  it  had  been  done  carefully,  but  he  was 
in  a  bad  humor  and  said  there  was  no  wood,  so  he  was 
not  going  to  prepare  any  food.  It  was  late  and  he  was 
hungry  and  had  much  to  do,  as  the  ''doctor"  was  not 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


able  to  be  of  much  assistance  in  kitchen"  work,  so  I  ex- 
cused his  mode  of  expressing  himself.  I  went  out  myself 
to  gather  canutillo  and  dry  branches  from  some  solitary 
greasewood  bushes  nearby  and  the  doctor"  also  brought 
a  load  of  canutillo.  I  told  Pedro  there  was  no  necessity 
for  making  tortillas  that  night,  that  we  would  open  two 
cans  of  corned  beef  and  one  of  tomatoes.  He  made  coffee 
and  we  had  a  good  supper.  It  was  Pedro's  habit  to  get 
angry  and  say  harsh  things  without  warning,  but  his 
wrath  passed  very  quickly.  It  seemed  nice  to  be  among 
the  medanos  again;  the  day  had  been  very  fatiguing  and 
it  was  pleasant  to  stretch  oneself  out  on  a  soft  bed  of 
clean  sand,  while  viewing  by  moonlight  the  sierra  we 
were  to  visit  the  next  day. 

In  the  morning  Doctor  Pancho  brought  the  bad  news 
that  my  riding  mule  had  broken  its  hobble  and  gone. 
He  showed  the  piece  of  strong  horse-hair  rope  which 
in  Mexican  fashion  had  served  as  a  hobble.  I  had  my 
suspicions  that  it  was  a  matter  of  carelessness  on  the 
part  of  Pedro  who  was  as  stubborn  and  know-it-all  as 
the  burro  he  rode,  intelligent  and  efficient  as  he  other- 
wise was.  The  mule  probably  had  started  back  to  our 
camp  at  Los  Papagos  and,  though  the  doctor"  offered 
to  go  out  again  and  look  for  it,  small  hope  could  be  at- 
tached to  the  success  of  his  efforts.  It  was  an  unpleas- 
ant prospect,  having  to  exchange  my  spirited  young  ani- 
mal with  an  excellent  gait  for  a  burro,  but  the  sooner  I 
reconciled  myself  to  its  loss,  there  being  slight  chance  of 
its  recovery,  the  better  for  me.  After  I  had  taken  some 
photographs,  changed  films  in  my  kodaks,  and  made 


GUARDING  AGAINST  MISCHIEF 


additions  to  my  map,  we  put  the  baggage  together  and 
covered  it  with  my  tent  fly,  the  two  barrels  of  water, 
the  most  important  part  of  our  outfit,  being  in  that 
way  safe  from  attack  from  the  burros;  the  latter  have 
a  pecuHar  way  of  removing  the  two  wooden  stoppers 
from  the  barrel  with  their  teeth  and  then  overturning  it 
to  get  at  the  water.  They  are  also  mischievous  in  other 
ways  and  will  chew  up  papers,  but  there  was  nobody 
else  to  guard  against,  and  this  is  one  advantage  at  least 
that  one  has  in  the  desert. 

Doctor  Pancho  had  already  departed  on  his  rather 
hopeless  quest,  when  Pedro  and  I,  each  mounted  on 
a  burro,  started  for  our  unknown  land.  The  sand  dunes 
lasted  for  three  miles  more,  up  to  a  distance  of  a  mile  or 
so  from  the  mountain  range.  We  were  still  surrounded 
by  flowers  in  all  the  little  valleys  of  the  sand  dunes,  and 
as  the  latter  diminished  in  height  the  number  of  flowers 
increased  until  at  last  in  the  low  outskirts  we  met  with 
an  unusual  wealth  of  the  purple  kind,  forming  a  carpet 
for  the  greasewoods  and  even  growing  on  the  somewhat 
harder  soil  next  to  the  sand. 

These  hitherto  unvisited  mountains  showed  the  usual 
formation  of  light  gray  granite  with  streaks  of  reddish 
color.  Seen  at  close  range,  the  sierras  of  the  desert  re- 
gion, weather-worn  and  washed  away,  cannot  be  pro- 
nounced attractive  looking,  but  such  is  certainly  not  the 
case  with  the  vegetation,  which  they  are  instrumental 
in  bringing  forth  in  that  arid  region.  For  the  very  soil 
of  its  growth  once  formed  part  of  these  mountains  and 
may  be  called  their  detritus.    We  ascended  a  pass  in  a 


3i6  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


spur  of  the  mountains  toward  the  north  and  east  and 
returned  by  another,  some  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet 
above  the  base.  There  was  a  nice  view  from  there, 
north-west  over  the  Uttle  valley  or  inlet,  sand  dunes 
like  huge  snow  fans  breaking  in  over  the  mountains 
toward  the  north  and  threatening  to  cover  them  up. 
The  dry  arroyo  of  the  inlet  was  surprisingly  wide  in  its 
short  whirling  course,  which  is  edged  by  numerous  palo 
fierro  trees,  indicating  that  the  mountain  sides  are  capa- 
ble of  gathering  much  water  at  times.  Old  trails  were 
passed,  and  broken  pottery  and  a  pounding-hole,  in  which 
the  Indians  had  crushed  mezquite  beans,  were  evidences 
of  the  presence  formerly  of  Papago  Indians,  who  camped 
here  at  times,  carrying  water  with  them,  doubtless  in 
gourds. 

The  odor  of  the  stunted  torote  tree  and  other  resinous 
plants  was  agreeable.  Along  the  base  of  the  mountains 
the  flowers  of  the  palo  fierro  attracted  many  hymenop- 
tera,  I  noticed  a  small  gray  bird,  perhaps  a  thrasher, 
running  among  the  stones  on  the  mountain  side  near  the 
base;  an  unmistakable  thrasher  of  a  larger  size  was  also 
seen.  Retracing  our  steps  around  the  southern  part  of 
the  middle  mountain,  we  reached  through  an  easy  pass 
the  west  side  of  the  sierra.  Contrary  to  our  expecta- 
tions, a  small  llano  was  found  here,  covered  with 
greasewood  growth  and  skirted  by  sand  dunes  at  four  or 
five  miles'  distance  toward  the  south.  Fresh  tracks  of 
mountain-sheep  were  seen.  The  shrill  notes  of  hawks 
startled  the  silence  as  usual  and  toward  sunset  I  could 
distinguish  the  singing  of  three  different  birds.  The 


A  MOONLIGHT  RIDE  317 

water  in  Tinajas  Altas,  from  twenty  to  twenty-five  miles 
away,  is  the  nearest. 

It  grew  dark  before  we  were  able  to  begin  our  return 
to  camp.  Approaching  the  place  where  we  had  seen 
such  a  quantity  of  the  purple  flowers,  their  delicious  per- 
fume, which  is  strongest  at  night,  was  felt  long  before  we 
could  see  them.  The  first  thing  to  do  was  to  strike  our 
own  tracks  of  the  morning,  else  it  would  be  decidedly 
difficult  to  find  the  camp  as  the  dunes  looked  very  much 
alike.  When  we  had  once  struck  them  we  could  safely 
leave  the  rest  to  our  riding  animals,  for  the  burros  with 
remarkable  ease  are  able  to  follow  tracks  even  in  a  pitch- 
dark  night.  Pedro,  who  weighed  215  pounds,  dismounted 
from  his  steed  and  put  it  ahead  of  the  procession,  which 
it  eagerly  led  home.  I  had  begun  to  be  reconciled  to  my 
small  but  powerful  mount;  it  seemed  all  muscle  and 
hard  as  a  rock,  as  it  safely  and  surely  made  for  camp, 
working  knee-deep  in  the  soft  sand. 

The  great  waves  of  dunes  extended  in  almost  the 
same  direction  that  we  travelled,  namely,  toward  north 
north-east.  The  moon  cast  its  pale  light  over  the  pecul- 
iar landscape  and  made  it  look  like  winter.  Travel  at 
night  always  seems  to  take  a  long  time,  and  we  thought 
so,  especially  as  the  dunes  grew  higher.  The  fantastic, 
nonchalant  canutillo,  a  greasewood  bush  half  buried  in 
the  sand,  and  a  tuft  of  grass  here  and  there,  were  the  only 
vegetation  apparent.  Finally  a  small  but  friendly  and 
very  welcome  light  appeared  from  our  camp  in  a  de- 
clivity between  two  waves  of  dunes;  a  few  minutes  more 
and  our  busy  day  was  over. 


3i8  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


Doctor  Pancho,  in  our  absence,  had  made  himself  use- 
ful by  gathering  a  lot  of  fuel,  such  as  it  was,  and  he  had 
cooked  bones  of  mountain-sheep  with  tepari  beans  for  us. 
He  had  not  been  able  to  overtake  the  mule,  but  he  had 
prepared  a  very  pleasant  surprise  for  me  in  the  shape  of 
four  specimens  of  the  *'root  of  the  sands,"  the  Indian 
name  for  a  much  coveted  dish.  They  lay  in  a  row  on 
the  sand  and  looked  very  interesting.  I  had  heard  much 
of  this  plant,  for  even  the  Mexicans  relish  the  camote  of 
the  medanos,  as  they  call  it,  but  the  past  rainless  winter 
had  held  out  little  hope  that  my  desire  to  see  it  would  be 
realized.  This  peculiar  plant,  which  is  about  three  feet 
long,  has  no  leaves  and  looks  like  a  root  covered  with 
scales  which  grow  thicker  toward  the  top.  It  protrudes 
slightly  above  the  sand,  ending  in  a  button-like  excres- 
cence on  the  upper  surface  of  which  there  is  observable 
more  than  a  dozen  tiny  light  blue  bells.  It  is  only 
found  in  the  large  barren  sand-hills  in  the  months  of 
March  and  April,  and  during  this  time  the  Papagoes  in 
former  days  used  to  gather  at  such  localities,  living  al- 
most exclusively  on  the  plant.  In  May  and  June  the 
part  of  the  plant  which  grows  above  the  surface  withers 
and  disappears. 

Selecting  the  three  best  ones  as  specimens  to  be 
taken  along,  I  sampled  one  of  them  and  found  it  to,  be 
a  succulent  and  excellent  food.  It  is  more  tender  than 
a  radish,  as  well  as  much  more  juicy,  and  the  whole 
root  can  be  eaten.  It  has  a  sweetish  and  agreeable 
flavor  all  its  own.  The  Indians  usually  toast  these  plants 
on  the  coals,  when  they  resemble  sweet  potatoes  in  taste, 


AN  EXTRAORDINARY  BOON  319 

but  I  prefer  to  eat  them  raw.  They  are  an  especially 
dehcious  rehsh  to  a  thirsty  man,  and  they  also  quickly 
appease  his  hunger;  in  fact,  of  all  the  many  kinds  of 
edible  roots  that  I  have  tried  in  their  uncooked  state, 
used  among  natives  in  different  parts  of  the  earth,  I 
know  of  none  which  can  compare  with  this  one  in  refresh- 
ing and  palatable  qualities.  We  came  across  some  more 
of  them  later  in  the  dunes  south  of  Pinacate,  which  were 
a  smaller  form.  They  practically  furnish  both  food  and 
drink  and,  after  an  ordinary  winter  season  of  light  show- 
ers, are  found  in  great  numbers  among  the  largest  sand 
dunes  along  the  upper  coast  of  the  Gulf  of  California. 
They  have  also  been  found  in  other  parts  of  Sonora  as, 
for  instance,  at  Lerdo. 

This  extraordinary  creation  of  the  desert  has  the  well- 
sounding  as  well  as  appropriate  name  ammohroma  sonorce 
(sand  food).  Its  native  name  is  hiatatk  (hia,  sand,  sand- 
dunes;  tatk,  root).  It  was  first  mentioned  by  Dr.  Asa 
Gray  in  1854  as  a  large  and  fleshy  root-parasite  grow- 
ing in  the  naked  sands  of  the  desert  at  the  head  of  the 
Gulf  of  California."  It  had  been  discovered  in  the  same 
year  by  Col.  Andrew  B.  Gray,  during  his  "survey  and 
explorations  for  ascertaining  the  practicability  of  con- 
structing a  southern  railway  to  the  Pacific."  Apparently 
this  highly  useful  plant  might  be  transplanted  to  advan- 
tage to  other  desert  regions  of  the  earth. 


CHAPTER  XX 


RETURN  TO  TINAJAS  ALTAS— EVASIVE  TRAVELLERS— AN  "OLD- 
TIMER"— THE  CABEZA  PRIETA  MOUNTAINS— VAGUE  NOTIONS 
OF  PROPERTY— THE  POOLS  OF  CABEZA  PRIETA— A  RAINY  DAY 
—I  REACH  MY  MAIN  CAMP— THE  ADVANTAGE  OF  TRAVEL  WITH 
DONKEYS— MY  INDIAN  COMPANIONS— THE  SAND  PEOPLE 

While  it  was  still  dark  the  next  morning,  we  were 
again  in  activity  by  the  light  of  our  guiding  morning 
star — to  rise  at  dawn  would  have  been  a  very  late  hour 
for  US.  To  the  annoyance  of  Pedro,  who  always  wanted 
to  hurry,  an  hour  was  spent  on  the  road  photographing 
the  flowers.  It  was  night  when  we  arrived  at  Tinajas 
Altas,  a  moderate  gale  from  the  south-east  blowing,  and 
we  all  felt  tired.  Four  unwelcome  strangers  made  their 
appearance,  driving  up  their  wagon  outside  of  the  little 
valley.  They  were  evidently  American  citizens  from 
somewhere  on  the  Gila  River,  most  of  them  Mexicans, 
and  the  owner  of  the  wagon  and  the  fat  horses  was  an 
unpleasant  old  Italian.  They  were  not  prospectors,  and 
they  were  a  queer  lot — very  different  from  the  ordinary 
Mexicans — and  they  gave  me  an  uneasy  feeling  because 
of  their  underhanded  and  evasive  ways.  Probably  they 
were  nothing  worse  than  treasure  hunters,  but  it  was  a 
relief  to  have  them  continue  their  journey  next  morning, 
while  we  recuperated  here  another  day. 

Pedro  found  that  my  lost  mule  had  watered  at  the 

tinaja,  and  after  following  its  tracks  for  many  miles  he 

320 


A  PLEASANT  MEETING 


321 


concluded  that  it  had  continued  on  its  way  back;  a  few 
weeks  later  the  Indians  brought  it  to  me  in  Sonoita.  In 
the  afternoon,  toward  sunset,  a  small  man  on  horseback 
turned  up.  He  was  old  and  his  face  was  almost  hidden 
under  an  immense  straw  hat.  His  horse  was  dragging 
along  a  log  of  mezquite,  for  firewood  is  rare  at  Tinajas 
Altas.  He  bowed  his  head  to  me  in  a  genial  way  and 
I  saw  at  a  glance  that  I  had  an  old-timer"  before  me. 
He  was  a  prospector  and  his  companion  would  soon 
follow  him  in  a  wagon.  The  new-comer  was  such  a  con- 
trast to  the  evasive  men  of  the  morning  that  his  appear- 
ance gave  me  genuine  delight.  He  said  they  were  from 
Mohawk  on  a  prospecting  tour  to  Pinacate.  I  suggested 
that  lava  fields  generally  were  not  good  places  to  find 
gold,  although  I  had  heard  that  samples  of  gold-bearing 
malpais  (lava)  have  been  picked  up  in  the  region  north 
of  Pinacate.  It  was  just  there  that  he  was  going,  and 
from  a  pouch  tied  to  a  string  around  his  neck  he  brought 
forth  for  my  admiring  eyes  a  most  unusual  sample  of 
free  gold  that  literally  studded  a  dark  brown  piece  of 
rock  which,  in  fact,  seemed  to  be  old  lava. 

In  the  evening  I  spent  a  pleasant  hour  in  the  cheer- 
ful camp  of  the  two  American  Mexicans.  The  old  pro- 
spector was  an  entertaining  man,  quite  at  home  in  the 
desert,  where  he  had  made  many  a  journey  in  vain  pur- 
suit of  the  elusive  metal.  He  had  prospected  in  Sierra 
del  Viejo  where  Cipriano  Ortega  once  worked  a  silver 
mine  which  was  lost  later  and  could  never  be  found 
again.  He  had  also  been  looking  for  the  lost  mission 
and  showed  where  some  years  ago  my  friend,  Prof.  W. 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


J.  McGee,  "walking  barefoot/'  he  said,  for  the  sake  of 
his  health,  had  camped  in  a  hut  made  among  the  rocks 
near  the  lower  tank.  Their  outfit  was  not  substantial; 
in  a  light  wagon  they  carried  their  provisions,  and  their 
water  supply  was  kept  in  cast-off  Standard  Oil  cans.  I 
told  them  that  it  would  be  difficult,  and  perhaps  impos- 
sible, to  find  any  water  at  the  Tule  well,  but  their  en- 
thusiasm and  determination  recognized  no  obstacles. 

As  we  were  about  to  go  our  separate  ways  the  next 
morning,  the  old  prospector  brought  four  eggs  which  he 
wanted  to  present  to  me.  He  urged  me  to  accept  them, 
as  they  had  a  dozen  more  for  themselves.  This  would  be 
a  trivial  matter  in  the  ordinary  routine  of  life,  but  was 
touching  under  circumstances  like  these.  I  promised  in 
return  to  present  him  with  mountain-sheep  meat  when  he 
arrived  at  Los  Papagos,  where  he  was  going  to  establish 
his  camp  and  where  I  hoped  to  see  him  again  later.  He 
and  his  companion  never  turned  up,  however,  and  I  sin- 
cerely hope  that  nothing  untoward  happened  to  them  to 
which  his  thirty  years'  experience  in  the  desert  was  inade- 
quate. 

The  weather  was  much  cooler  than  I  expected  on  this 
trip,  a  nice  breeze  of  moderate  strength  blowing  every 
day,  and  the  nights  were  almost  too  cool.  Even  in  April  it 
is  still  possible  to  travel  in  that  region  without  much  dis- 
comfort. At  the  Cabeza  Prieta  range  we  made  camp  in  a 
pass  near  some  large  red  trachyte  boulders.  The  red- 
dish looking  mountains  seemed  to  be  even  more  than 
usually  narrow-crested  and  steep.  We  made  a  tour 
through  the  central  part  and  came  to  an  interesting 


CONFLICTING  CONSIDERATIONS 


short,  box-like  canon  surrounded  by  mountains  that 
seemed  higher  and  more  difficult  to  ascend  than  they  were 
in  reahty.  While  we  were  considering  as  to  which  way 
we  had  better  proceed,  two  female  mountain-sheep  ap- 
peared frequently  on  a  ridge  against  the  sky,  watching 
us  for  many  minutes  and  then  disappearing  and  return- 
ing again.  As  we  needed  provisions,  the  two  Indians 
went  after  them,  while  I  took  a  circuitous  route  for  camp. 
The  flock  consisted  of  seven,  which  I  observed  moving 
about  the  top  of  a  ridge  in  leisurely  fashion  for  some 
time;  they  were  all  females  and  three  of  them  very 
young. 

On  my  return  to  camp  at  dusk,  my  Indians  had  not  yet 
arrived.  At  eight  o'clock  they  slowly  approached  the  fire 
carrying  all  the  meat  of  two  sheep.  They  had  mistaken 
the  road,  and  had  come  across  an  American  campo  (tent) 
where  they  had  discovered  a  sack  half-full  of  onions  and 
another  with  potatoes.  Pedro  told  me  that  the  doctor 
had  helped  himself  from  each  sack  and  asked  me  whether 
I  would  eat  them.  As  I  answered  him  with  a  decided 
negative,  he  said  they  would  eat  them. 

It  was  not  edifying  to  see  my  men  consume  the  stolen 
goods,  but  as  the  heavy  burden  of  meat  they  carried  had 
made  it  impossible  for  them  to  take  away  with  them  any 
great  quantity,  I  told  them  that  Americans  were  huenos 
(generous)  and  probably  would  not  mind.  But  I  was 
very  much  put  out  when  the  next  day,  as  we  were  filling 
our  barrels  at  the  tinajas  of  the  Cabeza  Prieta,  I  made  the 
disagreeable  discovery  that  we  had  two  buckets  instead 
of  one.    "A quel  [the  doctor]  took  it  from  the  Americans," 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


Pedro  said.  When  I  remarked  reproachfully  that  this 
was  not  right  and  asked  him  with  what  the  Americans  on 
their  return  would  fill  their  barrels,  he  answered:  "The 
doctor  said  there  were  six  or  seven  and,  as  the  Americans 
did  not  need  them  all,  he  carried  off  one."  What  can 
one  do  under  such  circumstances  to  satisfy  the  require- 
ments of  ethics  ?  Travelling  alone  in  the  wilderness  with 
two  Indians,  I  was  to  a  certain  extent  in  their  power,  and 
was  forced  to  act  diplomatically;  we  were  too  far  away 
to  return  the  bucket,  for  our  supply  of  flour  would  soon  be 
exhausted  and  our  animals  had  to  be  considered. 

There  are  said  to  be  as  many  as  eight  pools  at  Ca- 
beza  Prieta,  each  higher  than  the  other.  The  four  lower 
ones  were  empty,  and  the  water  had  to  be  scooped  down 
from  above  from  one  to  the  other,  so  that  we  could  fill 
our  barrels  and  that  our  animals  might  drink.  It  is 
tedious  and  rather  primitive  to  have  to  depend  on  tinajas 
for  one's  existence,  and  these  were  even  less  accessible 
than  usual,  the  entrance  being  through  a  narrow  canon. 
On  entering  this  I  had  noticed  six  heaps  of  stones 
placed  in  a  row  as  if  to  show  the  way  to  the  water  and 
had  been  made  by  the  Indians  long  ago.  Later  on,  at 
the  pass  near  Tinaja  del  Tule,  I  saw  six  much  smaller 
stone  heaps,  five  of  them  forming  a  circle  ten  feet  in  di- 
ameter. The  sixth  pile  was  outside  of  the  ring  toward 
the  west,  separated  from  the  rest  by  the  same  distance 
as  that  between  each  of  the  others. 

The  day  surprised  us  by  being  actually  rainy,  foggy, 
and  chilly,  and  the  mountain  tops  were  hidden  in  mist. 
The  showers  came  usually  from  the  south-east  and  would 


Sierra  del  Rosario,  northern  part 


Cabeza  Prieta  Range.    An  interior,  looking  westward.    A  dry  arroyo  at 

THE  bottom 


AN  AGREEABLE  RETURN  325 

last  only  a  few  minutes,  occurring  intermittently,  but 
toward  six  o'clock  we  had  some  heavier  rain,  and  when 
we  camped  we  were  wet  as  well  as  our  baggage.  Three 
days  later,  on  Sunday,  March  27,  we  arrived  again  at 
Tinaja  de  los  Papagos.  The  aspect  of  the  landscape 
around  the  arroyo  in  which  our  camp  was  placed  had 
changed  much  during  our  absence;  it  was  like  summer 
now,  the  mezquites  were  in  their  beautiful  foliage  and 
blossom,  and  the  light-yellow  flowers — yellower  than 
lemon — of  the  palo  verde  were  very  conspicuous,  making 
the  arroyo  yellow  and  green.  The  camp  gave  me  quite 
a  feeling  of  home.  My  tent  looked  agreeably  white,  clean, 
and  comfortable  among  the  trees,  and  the  members  of  the 
expedition  who  had  remained  behind  received  us  warmly. 
Guadalupe  made  tortillas  and  we  were  treated  to  a  fa- 
mous stew  of  mountain-sheep  that  tasted  good  though 
it  was  cooked  in  only  half  an  hour,  the  last  onion  having 
been  reserved  for  the  occasion. 

It  had  been  a  very  hazy  day;  distant  mountains  stood 
enveloped  in  a  thin  mist  and  sand  was  raised  on  the 
llanos  by  an  increasingly  strong  southern  gale  which 
sprang  up  during  the  afternoon.  At  sunset  it  abated  in 
force  and  turned  south-easterly.  Though  the  air  felt 
damp,  the  moon  shone  brightly  when  I  retired  for  the 
night;  ten  minutes  later,  at  nine  o'clock,  I  was  surprised 
by  the  falling  of  a  few  drops  of  rain  on  my  tent.  The  sky 
was  now  overcast  and  threatening,  so  we  had  to  prepare 
for  a  rainy  night.  Hardly  had  we  covered  up  the  bag- 
gage, a  matter  of  hve  minutes,  when  a  light  breeze  from 
the  north  cleared  the  sky  and  it  was  calm  again.  Thus 


326  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


ended  the  little  shower  of  the  desert  which  had  been 
born  from  the  atmospheric  disturbances  of  a  whole  day. 

I  had  been  away  with  the  two  Indians  for  thirteen  days, 
our  burros  travelling  nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles, 
and  during  that  time  we  had  called  for  water  only  at  two 
places,  Tinajas  Altas  and  Tinajas  de  la  Cabeza  Prieta, 
but  our  animals  returned  in  good  condition.  I  had 
learned  at  least  one  thing  on  this  short  expedition,  and 
that  is  that  donkeys  are  without  comparison  the  best  ani- 
mals for  exploration  of  the  American  desert.  Remark- 
ably strong  and  very  hardy  for  their  size,  they  are  con- 
tented with  humble  fare,  making  themselves  at  home  in 
any  camp  the  traveller  may  choose  in  that  arid  region. 
Their  first  move  is  to  caress  each  other's  necks,  while  the 
horses  stand  about  sulky  and  discontented;  next  they 
find  some  bushes  or  leaves  of  trees  or  odd-looking  plants 
to  eat,  and  in  the  winter  three  days  without  water  does  not 
trouble  them.  They  know  how  to  take  care  of  themselves 
and,  having  once  been  shown  a  waterhole,  they  do  not  have 
to  be  led  to  it  again,  but  go  thither  at  their  pleasure; 
horses  usually  have  to  be  driven  to  the  hole  again  and 
again.  Donkeys  do  not  stray  much  and  in  the  morning 
the  traveller  will  nearly  always  find  them  all  together 
ready  to  continue  the  journey.  The  more  a  burro  is 
loaded,  the  faster  it  walks,  in  order  to  reach  camp  so 
much  the  sooner.  The  burro  is  not  as  rough  to  ride  as 
one  would  expect;  a  few  have  a  gait  as  pleasant  as  that  of 
a  good  mule,  but  it  must  be  confessed  that  there  are  draw- 
backs to  its  use  under  the  saddle.  It  is  slower  than  a 
horse  or  a  mule  and,  although  far  more  intelligent  than 


EULOGY  OF  THE  DONKEY  327 

either,  it  is  stubborn  and  difficult  to  move  when  one  is 
anxious  to  reach  a  certain  point,  to  take  a  quick  photo- 
graph, etc.  If  riding  alone,  it  is  next  to  impossible  to 
have  one's  burro  stop  more  than  for  a  few  seconds,  as  its 
sole  aim  is  to  be  close  to  its  mates.  In  order  to  take 
down  notes  one  either  has  to  dismount  or  stop  the  pack 
train.  This  drawback  could  be  remedied  by  having  a 
man  following  on  another  burro.  And  if  the  traveller 
knows  how  to  accommodate  himself  to  various  conditions, 
he  will  find  this  animal  invaluable  for  certain  kinds  of 
exploration. 

My  two  Indians,  though  not  altogether  pleasant  com- 
panions, had  served  me  as  well  as  could  be  expected.  As 
a  packer  and  manager  of  our  outfit  Pedro  had  done  good 
work,  even  measured  by  a  white  man's  standard.  He 
was  a  fair  cook,  though  too  stubborn  and  set  in  his  ways 
to  accept  any  advice.  He  was  able  to  repair  anything 
well  that  might  get  out  of  order  on  such  a  trip,  and  he  did 
all  his  work  with  incredible  quickness.  He  had  taught 
himself  to  cut  hair  and  exercised  his  dexterity  on  my 
head  to  my  entire  satisfaction.  Being  furthermore  a  good 
tracker  and  an  excellent  shot,  he  would  make  an  admir- 
able servant  on  any  expedition  but  for  his  bad  tem- 
per; he  was  inclined  unexpectedly  to  say  disagreeable 
things,  but,  if  he  were  met  by  a  decided  countenance, 
would  in  a  few  minutes  be  pleasant  in  manners  and  in 
speech.  It  was  impossible  to  get  any  ethnological  infor- 
mation from  him,  owing  to  his  great  disinclination  to  dis- 
cuss Indians  and  their  affairs.  He  was  taciturn,  and  what 
he  had  to  say  he  uttered  in  a  very  low  voice.    Not  much 


328  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


escaped  his  watchful  eyes,  however,  and  his  physiognomy 
betrayed  brutaHty  and  cruelty,  though  he  was  not  without 
tender  feehngs,  as  evidenced  when  he  did  not  want  to  cut 
down  a  palo  fierro  in  which  he  discovered  a  httle  bird  had 
its  nest.  His  courage  was  undisputed,  and  if  he  Hked  a 
white  man  he  would  in  case  of  danger  stand  by  him  to 
his  last  breath. 

Doctor  Pancho,  the  medicine-man,  had  rather  an  en- 
gaging, humorous  face.  He  was  always  ready  to  serve 
and  he,  too,  was  quick  in  his  actions.  He  had  an  ener- 
getic disposition  and  did  good  service  in  finding  wood 
quickly,  grinding  coffee,  boiling  meat,  cleaning  pigeons, 
and  such  work.  He  was  even-tempered,  and  only  once, 
when  I,  after  having  lost  my  note-book,  had  to  ask  him 
some  questions  over  again  in  regard  to  local  names,  did 
he  rise  up  in  dignified  wrath,  saying  with  much  feeling 
that  he  had  given  me  this  in  four  books,  and  if  I  wanted 
to  hear  it  again  I  would  have  to  ask  somebody  else. 
But,  taking  it  all  in  all,  he  was  willing  to  give  information, 
and,  what  was  more,  gave  it  correctly,  which  was  much  to 
be  thankful  for.  There  was  a  certain  slyness  about  him, 
and  the  Indians  were  afraid  of  him  as  a  sorcerer.  His 
mind  was  always  on  the  alert  for  something  that  might 
prove  useful  to  him.  He  used  to  pick  up  discarded  papers 
and  put  them  away  for  safe-keeping.  He  was  not  very 
good  in  following  tracks,  but  knew  how  to  trap  wild  ani- 
mals, and  the  rapid  and  dexterous  manner  in  which  he 
prepared  them  for  eating  reminded  me  of  the  ways  of  the 
Australian  savages.  His  ideas  about  property  were  not 
highly  developed  and,  though  he  was  a  man  of  a  much 


NOTES  ON  THE  SAND  PEOPLE 


nicer  disposition  than  Pedro,  in  an  emergency  I  think  I 
should  rather  trust  myself  to  the  brutal  sagacity  of  the 
latter. 

Judging  from  these  two  and  from  a  third  one,  Agustin, 
that  I  knew,  the  sand  people  were  not  a  pleasant  lot  to 
deal  with.  They  were  rapacious  and  probably  merciless 
to  strangers,  whether  Indians  or  Mexicans.  Agustin  was 
a  distant,  disagreeable  kind  of  a  man,  whose  confidence 
it  would  take  years  to  win.  According  to  Mexican  ac- 
counts, the  arenenos  formerly  made  the  roads  dangerous 
to  pass,  and  nobody  could  follow  them  into  the  sand  dunes 
to  their  principal  retreat  at  Pinacate. 

These  Papagoes  were  called  Hiatit  Gotam,  *'sand 
people. "  According  to  my  companion,  the  medicine-man 
Pancho,  who  spent  his  early  life  in  the  dunes,  they  were 
not  many  in  number  and  used  to  travel  all  together. 
He  asserted  that  a  peculiar  disease  accompanied  by  the 
vomiting  of  yellow  and  green  and  then  blood"  killed 
most  of  those  natives,  and  thought  that  it  was  brought 
from  Yuma.  The  course  of  the  disease  took  from  four  to 
ten  days.  It  probably  is  the  same  affliction  that  is  men- 
tioned on  the  Papago  calendar  stick  (page  74)  as  having 
occurred  in  1851.  The  remaining  four  families  decided 
to  retire  to  other  parts  and  for  the  last  forty  or  fifty  years 
the  sand  dune  country  has  been  uninhabited.  These 
natives  probably  never  exceeded  in  number  one  hundred 
and  fifty  all  told,  and  their  head-quarters  were  at  Hotuni- 
kat  (sunset),  south  of  Pinacate.  The  great  annual  feast, 
now  given  at  Quitovac,  was  removed  from  the  Pinacate 
region  before  my  informant's  time — thus  at  least  over 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


seventy  years  ago — because  the  old  men  who  had  charge 
of  the  ceremonial  objects  of  the  feast  had  died,  and  it 
was  decided  that  the  latter  should  be  taken  care  of  at 
Quitovac. 

These  sand  people  were  intelligent,  healthy,  and  able- 
bodied,  and  managed  to  make  a  good  living  in  an  abso- 
lute desert.  Their  existence  depended  upon  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  few  places  in  the  mountain  ranges,  not  even 
one  in  each  range,  where  rain  fills  the  tinajas,  as  well  as 
of  the  few  places  along  the  coast  where  water  can  be  found 
by  digging  for  it.  Once  where  to  look  for  water  is  known, 
the  difficulties  in  making  a  living  out  there  are  not  so 
great  as  one  would  expect.  In  hot  weather  they  followed 
jack-rabbits  in  the  loose  sand  until  the  latter  were  ex- 
hausted, and  caught  muskrats  by  burning  the  accumu- 
lations of  cactus  spines  with  which  those  animals  keep 
enemies  away  from  their  burrows.  They  also  killed 
mountain-sheep,  which  were  not  a  difficult  quarry,  with 
their  bows  and  arrows,  especially  in  the  large  craters,  and 
they  were  even  able  to  approach  mule-deer  and  antelope 
near  enough  to  kill  them  by  the  same  weapon.  Lizards 
were  eaten.  At  certain  seasons  they  went  to  the  coast 
for  the  fishing,  catching  as  many  fish  as  they  wished. 

A  single  agricultural  site  may  be  attributed  to  the 
sand  people,  called  Suvuk,  south-east  of  Tinajas  de 
Emilia,  in  Pinacate.  Maize,  squashes,  and  beans  were 
planted  here  by  means  of  a  stick,  on  a  very  small  scale, 
but  the  majority  of  these  people  had  no  agriculture  what- 
ever. They  found  good  edible  plant  food  in  the  dunes, 
especially   ammohroma   sonora,  the  wonderful  camotes 


NATURAL  CONDITIONS 


331 


which  the  Indians  knew  how  to  gather  all  the  year  round, 
though  after  May  that  part  of  the  plant  which  is  above 
ground  withers  away.  They  had  their  season  of  chia  and 
used  to  come  as  far  as  Quitovaquita  and  Santo  Domingo 
to  gather  mezquite  beans  (called  by  the  Mexicans  pechita) 
and  eat  sahuaro  and  pitahaya.  Near  all  the  tinajas  are 
seen  round  holes  from  six  to  ten  inches  deep,  made  into 
the  solid  rock,  in  which  these  Indians  pounded  mezquite 
beans.  Their  pestles  are  frequently  found.  The  beans 
of  the  palo  fierro  were  toasted,  ground,  and  consumed  as 
pinole.  After  the  scanty  winter  rains  the  juicy  plant  of 
the  sand  dunes,  Oenothera  trichocalyx^  was  boiled  and  eaten. 

The  clothing  of  these  people  was  made  from  the  skin 
of  mule-deer,  antelope,  or  mountain-sheep.  The  hair  was 
first  removed  with  a  bone  taken  from  the  lower  foreleg 
of  the  animal,  and  the  skin  was  smeared  with  the  brains. 
The  root  of  the  torote  tree,  crushed  and  left  in  water,  fur- 
nished necessary  material  for  the  tanning  process.  The 
man  wore  shirt  and  breech  cloth,  the  woman  a  short  skirt. 
They  killed  sea  lions  on  the  rocks  by  hitting  them  on 
the  nose,  and  from  their  skins  sandals  and  straps  were 
cut.  From  the  badger's  hair  they  were  able  to  plait 
ribbons  for  the  hair  and  make  twine  to  be  used  for  the 
breech  cloth.  Women  wore  sandals,  but  no  hair  ribbons. 
The  skirt  was  kept  up  by  strings  of  buckskin. 

The  burden  basket  was  not  used,  but  they  made  carry- 
ing nets  as  well  as  pottery,  material  for  which  is  abundant 
on  the  coast.  Baskets  were  manufactured  from  torote, 
willow,  and  bulrushes.  In  order  to  make  bows,  these 
Indians  travelled  as  far  as  the  Colorado  River  to  get 


332  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


willow  as  material.  Arrows  were  made  from  the  arrow- 
bush.  Arrow-points  of  hard  stone  have  occasionally  been 
found  in  that  country,  but  never  stone  axes. 

They  had  foot-races  and  also  practised  the  game  of 
throwing  with  the  end  of  a  thin  pole  two  short  pieces  of 
wood  which  are  linked  together.  (Page  89.)  In  the 
winter  time  they  lived  at  a  higher  elevation  in  the  moun- 
tains where  they  erected  grass  huts.  Once  a  year  a  jour- 
ney was  made  to  Yuma  to  barter  with  the  Indians  there, 
and  maize,  tepari  beans,  and  squashes  were  exchanged 
for  baskets  and  sea-shells.  Remnants  of  these  people  are 
living  at  Quitovaquita  and  the  Growler  Well,  both  places 
in  Arizona.  A  few  families  are  said  to  live  near  the  rail- 
way station,  Adonde,  near  Wellton,  on  the  Southern  Pacific 
line. 


CHAPTER  XXI 


AN  INDIAN  HERMIT— ABORIGINAL  COOKING— AGAIN  IN  SONOITA 
—ANCIENT  VILLAGE  SITES  AROUND  THE  ALTAR  RIVER— A 
REMEDY  FOR  SNAKE  BITES— I  ARRIVE  AT  AJO,  ARIZONA— GILA 
BEND  RESERVATION— AN  ANCIENT  FORTRESS— THE  MARICOPA 
INDIANS— THE  WAYS  OF  CIVILIZATION— THE  PIMA  INDIANS— 
CASA  GRANDE— ITS  BUILDERS— RETURN  TO  CIVILIZATION 

As  we  started  back  for  Sonoita,  Caravajales,  the 
Indian  hermit  of  Los  Papagos,  joined  us.  He  owns  a 
burro  and  a  horse  and  plants  a  Httle  maize,  besides  rais- 
ing a  few  squashes  and  watermelons.  He  catches  fish 
on  the  coast  also,  but  camotes,  the  "roots  of  the  sands," 
form  his  principal  means  of  subsistence.  In  fact  he  lives 
almost  entirely  on  these  camotes,  and  is  able  to  find 
them  out  of  season.  He  often  goes  without  food  for 
days,  which  does  not  trouble  him,  as  he  is  the  proud 
possessor  of  a  canteen  and  in  his  travels  is  never  without 
water.  He  confided  his  secrets  and  domestic  troubles  to 
Guadalupe,  who  told  me  about  them.  When  his  wife  left 
him  a  few  years  before,  he  decided  to  go  back  again  to  live 
in  the  medanos  where  he  was  born.  Once  a  year  he 
visits  Sonoita  to  see  relatives  and  to  get  drunk.  There  is 
no  harm  in  the  elderly  man,  but  neither  is  he  sympathetic. 
He  is  thin,  rather  bald,  and  almost  completely  deaf,  but 
seems  to  be  healthy.  Recently  he  had  been  in  Quitova- 
quita  for  two  days  and  had  remained  without  eating  dur- 

333 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


ing  that  time;  then  he  had  ridden  to  get  the  camotes  for 
three  days  more  without  food. 

On  the  slopes  of  the  lava  plateau  north  of  Pinacate 
there  was  a  notable  increase  in  the  number  of  the  white 
choyas  {opuntia  fulgiJa),  which  looked  at  their  best 
among  scattered  greasewoods  and  other  bushes.  Often 
at  a  distance  I  mistook  them  for  the  white  or  gray  shirts 
of  my  men.  At  least  six  times  I  noticed  branches  of 
greasev/ood  cut  off  and  lying  on  the  ground.  This  was, 
according  to  Pancho,  the  medicine-man,  the  work  of  jack- 
rabbits,  which  eat  both  branches  and  leaves.  The  Ind- 
ians in  the  evening  cooked  one  of  these  animals  in  hot 
ashes  covered  with  earth,  on  top  of  which  a  fire  was  made. 
The  doctor"  prepared  it  for  cooking  by  breaking  its 
legs  with  a  stick  (a  matter  of  a  few  seconds)  and  then 
singeing  the  hair  of  the  whole  body  over  the  fire.  He 
had  first  cut  off  the  ears,  for  they  are  considered  a  great 
delicacy,  and  put  them  aside  to  be  eaten  by  him  later. 
The  meat  of  the  jack-rabbit  is  much  coveted  by  the 
Papagos,  who  often  run  these  animals  down  on  horse- 
back. Parties  are  sometimes  gotten  up  for  this  kind  of 
hunting. 

On  reaching  Sonoita  nearly  all  the  members  of  the 
expedition  were  allowed  to  depart,  each  taking  home  a 
sack  of  dried  mountain-sheep  meat,  and  I  began  to 
make  various  excursions  in  the  neighborhood,  once  go- 
ing as  far  as  Altar.  While  driving,  one  of  our  pair  of 
mules  actually  stepped  across  a  fine  large  rattlesnake.  I 
expected  to  see  it  strike,  for  there  was  no  time  to  stop  as 
the  reptile  was  entwined  between  the  mule's  feet,  but 


ANTIQUITIES  ON  THE  ALTAR  RIVER  335 


for  a  wonder,  they  did  not  touch  it  and  the  snake  made 
its  escape  calmly  without  even  the  usual  rattling. 

I  visited  several  ancient  village  sites  in  the  Altar  River 
valley.  One,  at  the  ranch  of  Llano  Blanco,  on  the  bank 
of  the  Magdalena  River,  just  before  its  junction  with 
the  Altar  River,  was  a  mile  long  and  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  broad.  Thousands  of  pieces  of  hard  stones,  chipped 
away  in  the  making  of  weapons  or  implements,  were  lying 
on  the  ground,  and  for  six  miles  from  there  on  until  the 
Ventana  ranch  is  reached,  numbers  of  potsherds  were  seen, 
which  may  also  be  observed  for  a  greater  distance  up 
the  river.  Numerous  well-made  stone  objects  have  been 
found  here  as  well  as  at  Pitiquito,  farther  down  the  Altar 
River.  Small  stone  images  have  been  encountered  in 
this  valley;  one,  about  four  and  a  half  inches  high,  made 
of  a  chocolate-brown  stone  much  like  jade  in  texture, 
was  picked  up  by  a  vaquero  on  the  ground  near  Pitiquito. 
Large  bracelets  of  shell  have  been  found  here,  and  also 
some  peculiar  antiquities  consisting  of  stone  bars  or 
ceremonial  wands,  most  of  them  cylindrical  in  shape 
and  pointed  at  the  ends,  which  I  discovered  in  houses 
of  the  Mexicans  as  far  west  as  the  ranch  Chireones,  fifteen 
miles  from  Altar. 

In  the  District  of  Altar  I  heard  very  favorable  reports 
of  a  remedy  for  bites  of  snakes  and  scorpions.  The  secret 
was  conveyed  to  me  for  the  benefit  of  the  world  at  large, 
and  my  informant  had  learned  it  thirty  years  before  from 
an  Indian.  The  remedy  consists  of  the  excrements  of 
a  leaf-eating  ant  (pogonomyrmex  barbatus),  common  in 
those  parts  and  called  mochomo,  and  a  plant  called  golon- 


336  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


drina.  There  are  two  kinds  of  golondrina,  and  it  is  the 
small  one  {amphorhia  polycarpa)  from  the  low  mountains 
that  is  used,  and  not  the  one  that  grows  two  or  three  feet 
high  in  the  cultivated  fields.  The  two  ingredients  should 
be  crushed,  alcohol  added,  and  the  thick  mixture  applied 
to  the  wound  and  held  there  by  a  bandage.  The  pain 
should  subside  at  once  with  this  treatment.  The  addi- 
tion of  leaves  of  the  red-flowering  oleander  (in  Spanish 
called  laurel)  is  said  to  be  an  improvement.  But  the 
mochomo  by  itself  is  maintained  to  be  wonderfully  effec- 
tive. Perhaps  the  fact  that  the  ants  feed  on  the  leaves 
of  the  greasewood,  which  are  very  antiseptic,  may  have 
something  to  do  with  the  efficaciousness  of  the  remedy. 
As  my  authority  was  an  intelligent  and  judicious  Mexican, 
an  examination  by  a  competent  judge,  especially  of  the 
mochomo,  which  is  easily  procured  anywhere  in  that  re- 
gion, would  seem  to  be  warranted. 

On  my  return  to  civilization  from  Sonoita,  I  crossed  the 
boundary  into  Arizona,  stopping  first  at  Ajo,  the  name  of 
an  apparently  great  copper  mine,  on  which  work  had  been 
temporarily  abandoned.  Contrary  to  expectation,  it  is 
from  the  point  of  view  of  scenery  a  beautiful  place, 
situated  as  it  is  among  picturesque-looking  hills.  Even 
at  a  considerable  distance,  coming  from  the  south,  large 
streaks  of  green  on  some  of  the  hill-tops  due  to  the 
prevalence  of  copper  are  plainly  visible.  The  weather 
was  very  warm  for  twelve  days,  and  from  the  24th  of 
May  till  the  4th  of  June  an  average  maximum  tem- 
perature of  nearly  106°  F.  was  shown.  The  highest 
temperature  was  117°  F.  on  the  30th  of  May.  When 


SEEING  THE  LAST  OF  THE  PAPAGOES  337 


it  attained  this  point  the  sensation  was  that  of  walking 
between  great  fires.  However,  the  heat,  being  very  dry, 
was  quite  bearable  and  the  nights  were  pleasant. 

At  Gila  Bend  railroad  station  I  camped  in  a  Mexican 
corral,  and  found  my  camp  agreeable  on  account  of  the 
abundance  of  clear  and  easily  accessible  water,  which  was 
all  the  more  satisfying  after  my  long  absence  from  civil- 
ized comforts  of  any  kind.  I  continued  my  journey  to  a 
small  reservation  for  the  Papago  Indians  north  of  there, 
camping  at  the  well  of  the  Pelon  rancheria  under  the 
shade  of  a  clump  of  large  mezquites.  From  here  I  made 
a  visit  to  an  ancient  village  known  under  the  name  of 
''The  Fortress"  (Jortin  in  Spanish).  Crossing  the  wide 
river-bed  of  the  Gila  River,  on  the  banks  of  which  bata- 
motes  grew  exuberantly,  the  village  is  found  on  top  of  a 
detached  hill,  which  was  admirably  adapted  for  defence, 
being  protected  on  the  side  easiest  of  access  by  a  stone  wall 
two  hundred  yards  long,  from  six  to  eight  feet  high  and 
from  four  to  five  feet  wide,  running  east  and  west.  The 
houses,  like  the  wall,  are  made  of  stones  well  set  without 
masonry.  One  of  the  largest  houses  measured  sixteen 
by  twenty  feet,  and  the  walls  were  three  feet  thick  in  all  of 
them.  A  dozen  dwellings  were  found  outside  of  the  wall, 
and  nearly  thirty  were  counted  inside,  standing  in  irregu- 
lar groups.  The  Papagoes  call  the  fortress  kokulisik 
(kokulty  corral). 

The  Gila  Bend  Reservation  consists  of  three  ran- 
cherias:  Pelon,  or  ''lower  village";  Tesota,  or  "second 
village,"  and  an  "upper  village,"  which  has  only  a  Papago 
name,  Siilimok   ("burnt  saddle").    There  are  about 


338  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


three  hundred  souls  in  all  of  them.  In  the  "upper  vil- 
lage" I  found  most  of  the  people  away  harvesting  wheat 
for  the  Pimas,  for  these  Papago  Indians  are  not  restricted 
to  the  reservation. 

Arriving  at  the  agricultural  settlements  on  the  Gila 
River,  I  felt  as  if  I  had  come  to  another  country.  Miles 
of  waving  wheat  and  alfalfa  fields  and  the  smell  of  humid 
earth,  all  brought  about  by  the  magic  of  irrigation,  were 
a  delightful  demonstration  of  the  remarkable  agricultural 
possibilities  of  certain  portions  of  the  great  western  desert. 

The  agency  of  the  Maricopa  Indians  was  next  reached. 
It  is  in  the  western  corner  of  the  Gila  River  Reservation 
and  presented  an  attractive  appearance  situated  among 
cultivated  fields  in  the  height  of  mid-summer.  These 
were  not  Indian  fields,  as  one  would  expect,  but  belonged 
to  white  farmers  who  owned,  I  was  told,  four  of  the  irri- 
gating ditches,  while  the  Indians  had  one.  The  land  set 
apart  for  the  latter  is  not  good — only  fair — but  by  heavy 
irrigation  the  Indians  manage  to  make  the  alkaline  soil 
serviceable. 

A  comfortable  looking  cottage  with  red  tiled  roof 
and  a  shady  veranda  on  a  spacious  greensward  indicated 
where  the  agent  lived,  while  at  some  distance  from  the 
house  I  noticed  a  number  of  shelves  on  the  wall  under  the 
porch,  built  one  above  the  other,  and,  at  a  casual  glance, 
there  appeared  to  be  photographs  placed  there  for  sale, 
but  as  I  passed  through  the  gate  I  discovered  that  these 
were  rows  of  medicine  bottles  within  a  large  open  closet. 
A  drug  store  in  the  land  of  sunshine  and  good  cheer! 
The  idea  of  disease  seemed  wholly  anomalous  in  this  dry 


THE  WHITE  AND  THE  RED  MAN 


air,  bracing  in  spite  of  the  noon-day  heat.  I  knew,  of 
course,  that  the  Indians  had  acquired  consumption  since 
their  contact  with  the  whites,  but  I  was  puzzled  to  learn 
what  other  diseases  this  array  of  medicines  was  intended 
for.  So  I  stepped  up  to  a  young,  pleasant  looking  man, 
who  was  grooming  his  horses  in  a  shed  near  by  and  who 
turned  out  to  be  the  agent.  '*Are  the  Maricopa  a  healthy 
race  ?"  I  inquired.  "No,  I  don't  think  so;  there  is  much 
disease  here."  *'So  you  need  all  that  medicine  which  I 
see  on  the  porch?"  **Yes,  indeed;  there  has  been  an 
epidemic  of  measles  and  we  still  have  ten  cases,  though 
whooping  cough  is  now  the  great  trouble,  for  it  often  de- 
velops into  bronchial  pneumonia  and  kills  many,  and  we 
have  had  to  close  the  day  school.  There  is  always  con- 
sumption here,  and  I  often  have  to  treat  syphilitic  ulcers," 
he  added  as  he  concluded  the  distressing  list  of  the  effects 
of  the  so-called  civilization  on  the  surviving  three  hundred 
members  of  a  once  healthy  tribe. 

The  Pima  Indians,  for  whose  benefit  the  larger  part 
of  the  Gila  River  Reservation  was  set  aside,  are  not 
dying  out,  in  spite  of  having  suffered  much  from  the 
whites,  who  have  been  known  to  divert  the  river  water, 
the  source  of  life  to  the  Indians  who  live  farther  down 
its  course.  Their  number  is  rather  on  the  increase. 
According  to  information  furnished  me  by  the  agent  at 
Sacaton,  there  were  living  on  the  Gila  River  Reserva- 
tion in  June,  1909,  4,086  Pima,  203  Papago,  and  337 
Maricopa  Indians.  They  are  an  industrious  people  and 
virile,  though  of  a  mild,  even  disposition.  Since  the 
first  days  of  the  coming  of  the  whites,  they  were  of  as- 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


sistance  to  them,  showing  as  much  kindness  to  the  early 
explorers,  pioneers,  and  gold  seekers  as  the  Apaches  ex- 
hibited hostility.  They  used  to  raise  cotton,  which  they 
still  do  to  a  small  extent,  and  although  they  made  blank- 
ets as  late  as  forty  years  ago,  spinning  and  weaving 
have  been  abandoned.  Their  basketry  was  noted  for 
good  workmanship,  though  it  was  inferior  to  that  of  the 
Apache,  but  since  their  contact  with  whites  the  art  has 
much  deteriorated.  Small  circular  storehouses  of  twisted 
rolls  of  arrow-bush  may  be  noticed  outside  some  of  the 
dwellings.  Similar  structures  for  the  storage  of  mezquite 
beans  may  be  seen  on  the  roofs.  At  Gila  Crossing  a 
surprising  number  of  old-fashioned  round  grass  huts 
were  observed. 

There  are  several  ancient  ruins  in  or  near  the  coun- 
try occupied  at  the  present  day  by  the  Pima,  the  most 
important  of  which  is  the  noted  Casa  Grande  which  has 
often  been  described.  The  walls,  from  three  and  a  half 
to  four  feet  or  more  thick,  are  made  of  big  blocks  of 
earth  or  grout  which  when  dried  become  as  hard  as 
stone.  The  rafters  are  of  cedar  and  the  rooms  are  sym- 
metrical; three  stories  remain,  but  there  were  four  orig- 
inally. I  viewed  with  much  interest  the  work  that  lately 
had  been  done  for  the  United  States  Government  to  re- 
deem the  original  features  of  this  place,  thereby  assist- 
ing any  one  at  all  concerned  in  the  history  of  this  con- 
tinent to  get  a  clear  idea  of  the  doings  of  the  ancient 
people.  Gratifying  and  necessary  as  is  the  preservation 
of  what  remained  of  the  principal  part  of  the  ruins,  it 
seems  a  pity  that  the  shed  erected  for  the  purpose  could 


AN  ABORIGINAL  MONUMENT 


not  have  been  made  large  enough  to  permit  a  less  ob- 
structed view  of  the  grand  building.  It  should  have 
been  higher  and  wider.  I  suppose  economic  considera- 
tions may  have  had  something  to  do  with  the  arrange- 
ment that  comes  dangerously  near  preserving  the  ruin 
out  of  sight.  At  any  rate,  its  imposing  character  is  lost. 
Nevertheless,  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  ruins,  now  that 
they  have  been  cleared  of  debris  and  present  a  compre- 
hensible example  of  ancient  American  architecture  and 
life,  will  be  made  an  objective  point  for  visits  of  people 
interested  in  the  early  history  of  America.  It  is  now 
possible  to  walk  around  in  the  well-preserved  rooms 
where  the  Jesuit  Father  Kino  said  mass  in  1694,  the 
same  year  that  the  ruins  were  discovered.  Visitors  will, 
however,  go  further  back  and  marvel  at  the  skill  of  the 
ancient  builders,  although,  if  measured  by  modern  stand- 
ards, faults  may  be  found  in  the  construction.  An  ex- 
hibition of  implements  and  weapons  found  during  the 
clearing  up  of  the  debris  adds  to  the  interest. 

The  stone  implements  unearthed  here  are  of  the  same 
general  character  as  the  ancient  ones  which  I  collected  in 
the  present-day  Papagueria.  A  large  stone  scraper  and 
a  double-edged  axe  appear  identical  with  specimens 
which  were  secured  by  me  farther  south  in  Arizona,  and 
which  I  do  not  believe  were  made  by  the  ancestors  of  the 
present  Pima  and  Papago  Indians.  It  is  noteworthy  that 
wooden  hoes  were  unearthed  at  Casa  Grande  which  seem 
to  be  exactly  the  same  kind  as  those  until  quite  recently 
used  by  the  Papago,  of  which  I  was  able  to  collect  several 
specimens  in  the  Santa  Rosa  valley,  south  of  Kohatk, 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


Their  presence  at  Casa  Grande  does  not  in  my  opinion 
necessarily  imply  that  the  ancestors  of  the  present  oc- 
cupants of  that  region  had  anything  to  do  with  the  build- 
ing of  this  noble  structure.  Granted  that  the  methods 
of  its  makers  were  thoroughly  aboriginal  and  even  crude, 
it  is  a  far  step  from  the  Pima  and  Papago  dome-shaped 
grass  huts,  practical  as  they  are  in  the  desert,  to  the  four 
story,  thick-walled  building  in  question.  The  decorative 
art  of  these  two  native  peoples  as  compared,  for  instance, 
with  that  of  the  Pueblo  Indians,  is  mediocre,  and  their 
handicraft  in  workmanship  and  finish  does  not  even 
equal  that  of  some  of  the  western  tribes  who  live  under 
similar  conditions.  This  certainly  indicates  a  consider- 
ably lower  state  of  culture  than  that  suggested  by  the 
beautifully  symmetrical,  polished  stone  implements  which 
have  been  found  at  Casa  Grande  and  other  ruins  and 
ancient  village  sites  of  the  region  south  of  the  Gila  River, 
and  farther  south  and  east  than  the  Altar  River  in  Sonora. 
The  lack  of  architectural  skill  evinced  by  the  Pima  and 
the  Papago  and  their  little  developed  aesthetic  sense 
seem  to  me  utterly  at  variance  with  the  theory  that  the 
tribe  or  tribes  in  question  built  the  Casa  Grande.  Its 
builders  must  be  sought  among  their  predecessors  in  the 
Papagueria. 

The  trip  from  the  ruins  to  the  Casa  Grande  railroad 
station  was  made  leisurely  and  in  a  short  time.  Arriv- 
ing there  at  sunset,  I  camped  back  of  the  houses  among 
several  small  parties  of  teamsters,  mainly  Indians.  The 
next  morning  I  had  a  good  wash-up  and  put  on  my  best 
apparel  so  that  my  personal  appearance  should  be  more 


COMFORT  VS.  CIVILIZATION 


in  harmony  with  the  conventionahties  of  civihzation. 
Two  hours'  travel  on  the  Southern  Pacific  Railway 
brought  me  again  into  Tucson.  I  had  no  difficulty  in 
getting  accommodation  at  the  best  hotel,  and  was  treated 
with  much  courtesy,  but  the  discomfort  of  having  to 
sleep  within  four  walls,  which  a  cloudless  day  had  heated 
up  to  an  abnormal  degree,  was  too  much  for  me.  Every- 
thing I  touched  in  my  room  was  warm,  and  I  felt  as  if 
I  were  in  a  Turkish  bath  with  no  breath  of  air  to  relieve 
the  tension.  People  in  half  torpor  were  lying  on  their 
beds  with  their  doors  open.  The  temperature  of  the 
air  outside  was  not  unusually  high,  but  the  house  had 
been  built  without  any  regard  to  climatic  conditions. 
Dwellings  for  human  occupancy  in  countries  where  such 
high  temperature  prevails  should  not  be  constructed  as 
they  are  in  colder  regions.  This  is  a  very  common  fault, 
and  people  are  apt  to  look  upon  the  discomfort  brought 
about  by  man's  thoughtlessness  as  unavoidable  or  to  ac- 
cept it  as  inscrutably  providential.  To  shut  out  air  and 
make  no  provision  against  a  heat  wave  that  lasts  for 
months  is  not  civilization;  its  aim  should  be  to  make 
everybody  independent  of  exterior  circumstances  and 
comfortable  in  all  latitudes.  Fond  as  I  am  of  civilized 
Hfe  and  all  it  implies,  as  I  gasped  for  air  during  those 
restless  hours  I  could  not  help  longing  for  the  fresh, 
cool,  beautiful,  and  silent  nights  of  my  wild  desert. 


CHAPTER  XXII 


PHYSICAL  AND  MENTAL  CHARACTERISTICS  OF  THE  PAPAGO— 
EFFECTS  OF  CONTACT  WITH  WHITE  MAN— MARITAL  RELA- 
TIONS—WOMAN'S HIGH  POSITION— INDUSTRIES— DIVISIONS  OF 
THE  TRIBE— RELIGION  AND  MYTHS— RACES  AND  GAMES- 
FIGHTS  WITH  APACHES— SHAM  BATTLES— PRESENT  CONDI- 
TIONS AND  PROSPECTS  OF  THE  PAPAGO 

To  the  characteristics  of  the  Papago  which  have  al- 
ready been  given,  I  shall  add  here  some  observations  and 
notes  which  may  help  to  complete  the  picture  of  his 
present  status  as  well  as  of  his  past. 

These  Indians  are  naturally  very  healthy  and  many 
grow  to  be  a  hundred  years  old  or  more.  A  few  years 
ago  a  woman  who  went  out  to  gather  pitahaya  returned 
with  the  basket  on  her  head  full  of  fruit  and  a  new- 
born babe  in  her  arms.  The  total  weight  probably  was 
not  less  than  forty  or  fifty  pounds.  The  heaviest  bas- 
kets, when  loaded  with  the  juicy  cactus  fruits,  may  weigh 
as  much  as  a  hundred  pounds.  A  native  Indian  is  less 
affected  by  inflammatory  processes  than  a  white  person; 
wounds  heal  by  first  intention.  The  following  case,  al- 
though referring  to  a  Pima  Indian,  may  properly  be 
mentioned  here,  as  the  Papago  are  of  the  Pima  tribe. 
A  woman  in  childbirth  was  unable  to  deliver  the  placenta; 
but  she  recovered  in  a  few  days,  though  an  American 
doctor,  who  saw  her,  expressed  the  belief  that  she  would 
die. 

344 


QUALITIES  OF  BARBAROUS  MAN 


The  men  frequently  have  sUght  moustaches.  At 
present  the  men  all  have  their  hair  cut  short,  but  a  lux- 
uriant growth  was  formerly  considered  a  standard  of 
beauty.  It  was  occasionally  washed  with  an  infusion 
from  the  roots  of  a  vine  called  adofi.  Sometimes  these 
natives  would  plaster  the  head  with  clay,  to  kill  para- 
sites and  ensure  a  better  growth  of  hair.  The  women 
still  take  great  care  of  this  ornament  to  their  persons  and 
are  often  seen  brushing  it  with  brushes  made  from  the 
roots  of  sacaton  grass.  With  the  children,  it  is  cut  so 
that  it  may  grow  strong,  and  the  cut  hair  is  twisted  into 
a  cord  which  is  used  in  tying  together  parts  of  the  bur- 
den basket  as  well  as  in  the  tying  of  the  saddle-bag. 
Formerly  the  custom  was  to  leave  the  children's  hair 
long  on  top  of  the  head,  back  of  the  neck,  and  in  front 
of  each  ear.  I  saw  a  left-handed  man  and  a  left-handed 
woman  in  the  tribe.  If  it  be  permissible  to  draw  any 
general  conclusions  from  the  sound  sleep  of  my  com- 
panion, Pablo,  these  natives  sleep  unusually  soundly. 
One  morning,  while  he  was  with  me,  he  woke  up  several 
yards  below  his  bedding,  having  rolled  down  a  declivity 
during  the  night  in  his  sleep.  The  Papago  avoid  eating 
food  hot  from  the  fire. 

They  possess  much  force  and  stability  of  character, 
are  quick  of  perception,  loyal  to  the  white  man  that 
they  like,  and  if  in  danger  do  not  cry  for  help.  Under 
her  natural  bashfulness  the  woman  hides  sterling  quali- 
ties of  efficiency  in  household  work,  constancy,  and  faith- 
ful adherence  to  duty.  These  Indians  are  industrious 
and  have  a  remarkably  even  temper;    thirty  children 


346  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


may  be  seen  playing  harmoniously  together,  where  a 
similar  gathering  of  small  Caucasians  would  soon  result 
in  discord,  fights,  and  tears.  The  children  and  young 
girls  have  three  kinds  of  chewing  gum;  the  one  which  is 
most  commonly  used  has  been  mentioned  already,  an- 
other is  procured  from  the  pod  of  a  vine  which  comes 
early  and  dries  in  July;  by  squeezing  the  pod  a  milk  is 
secured  which  when  boiled  yields  a  gummy  substance. 
These  natives  never  shake  hands;  they  come  and  go  and 
are  never  obtrusive.  In  the  circumstances  under  which 
I  travelled,  I  liked  that  custom;  it  made  me  feel  inde- 
pendent and  equally  polite.  When  an  Indian  comes  to 
shake  hands  with  me,  I  know  he  has  changed  his  mode 
of  life,  for  one  may  be  sure  that  he  learned  that  cus- 
tom from  Americans  or  Mexicans.  Their  language  is 
not  sonorous,  as  it  is  full  of  guttural  sounds  and  half- 
pronounced  syllables.    Four  is  their  sacred  number. 

In  the  autumn  of  1909  there  was  a  mild  epidemic  of 
an  eye  disease  among  the  Papagoes  of  Sonora  as  far 
west  as  La  Nariz.  The  eyes  were  red  and  inflamed,  as 
in  conjunctivitis,  and  the  pain  evidently  was  very  great. 
They  probably  contracted  this  disease  from  the  Mexicans. 

In  his  changed  habits  of  life,  inhabiting  houses  that 
do  not  admit  air  and  adopting  clothes  that  debihtate  his 
magnificent  physique,  the  Papago,  when  he  catches  cold, 
is  unable  to  throw  it  off  in  the  same  way  that  a  white 
man  does.  It  very  often  develops  into  pneumonia  and 
consumption,  which  awful  disease  is  the  scourge  of  the 
tribe,  nine  out  of  ten  deaths  being  due  to  tuberculosis. 
The  children  bring  it  from  school  and  even  old  people 


TOO  SUDDEN  A  TRANSITION 


die  from  it,  having  acquired  it  through  contagion. 
Although  in  no  way  a  prison  as  to  its  restrictions, 
nevertheless  the  school  as  at  present  conducted  does 
them  harm  physically.  The  confinement  to  which  they 
have  not  been  accustomed  seems  to  undermine  their 
health.  In  these  days  of  advanced  methods  of  teach- 
ing some  remedy  for  this  condition  no  doubt  will  be 
found.  One  absolutely  necessary  change  is  to  alter  the 
construction  of  the  school-houses  so  as  to  make  them 
sanitary  through  unlimited  access  of  air.  Even  the 
Presbyterian  Mission,  which  has  been  of  considerable 
benefit  to  the  Indian,  has  erected  outside  of  Tucson 
incredibly  inappropriate  buildings,  made  of  brick  and 
substantial,  to  be  sure,  but  singularly  out  of  place  in  the 
glare  and  heat  of  the  Arizona  desert.  Prof.  R.  H. 
Forbes,  of  Arizona  University,  told  me  that  in  the  White 
Mountain  Apache  school,  at  White  River,  ninety  per 
cent  of  the  children  have  tuberculosis,  chiefly  glandular. 
This  statement  was  made  to  him  by  the  physician  in 
charge.  Would  it  not  be  better  to  leave  the  Indians  un- 
educated than  to  proceed  in  this  manner  ? 

Not  long  ago  the  makai  (medicine-men)  had  as  many 
as  five  wives  each,  while  the  usual  number  for  the  ordi- 
nary man  was  two.  At  present  it  is  very  rare  to  find  a 
Papago  with  more  than  one  wife,  and  the  average  num- 
ber of  children  in  a  family  is  usually  no  less  than  eight, 
but  the  mortality  among  infants  is  great.  The  position 
of  woman  is  equality  with  man.  To  be  sure,  the  man 
never  carries  burdens — that  is  relegated  to  the  woman's 
domain — but  she  is  the  mistress  of  the  house.    She  is. 


348  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


in  fact,  the  ''boss"  of  the  household  and  gives  her  hus- 
band as  well  as  her  child  his  portion  of  food.  She  is 
systematic,  while  the  man,  in  whom  the  characteristics 
of  the  hunter  still  survive,  has  little  or  no  order.  Her 
vigilant  eyes  look  after  everything  and  she  is  consulted 
in  all  transactions.  The  dogs  follow  the  woman  and  be- 
long to  her,  the  husband  rarely  speaking  to  them. 

Sometimes  a  young  man  will  marry  a  woman  more 
than  old  enough  to  be  his  mother  since,  under  the 
changed  conditions  of  the  tribe,  many  of  the  young  fel- 
lows do  not  know  how  to  take  care  of  themselves.  He 
may  work  for  an  elderly  woman  who  owns  cattle  and 
behave  so  much  to  her  satisfaction  that  marriage  results, 
and  women  have  in  this  Vv^ay  been  known  to  make  manly 
men  out  of  flippant  youngsters.  The  children  are  treated 
kindly  by  the  parents  and  are  kind  to  each  other. 

Formerly  a  bamboo  flute  was  played  by  a  young 
man,  especially  in  the  evening,  to  attract  the  attention 
of  a  girl,  though  the  ultimate  choice  of  a  partner  rested 
with  his  father  and  mother.  Up  to  recent  times  the 
sons  were  obedient  to  their  parents  and  readily  con- 
sented to  marry  the  girls  picked  out  for  them.  A  son 
was  instructed  how  to  behave  in  order  to  find  favor  with 
a  nice  girl  with  whom  appearances  weigh  little  compared 
to  the  noble  qualities  of  being  a  good  hunter,  not  lazy, 
and  an  efficient  agriculturist.  It  is  the  girl's  father  who 
makes  the  first  advances  in  a  matrimonial  venture.  He 
talks  the  matter  over  with  the  father  of  the  boy  who, 
however,  sometimes  may  decline.  But  if  the  father  is 
able  to  say  that  his  son  is  willing,  the  latter  betakes  him- 


CHOOSING  A  WIFE 


349 


self  to  the  girl's  house  and  stays  there  four  nights.  Her 
mother  then  takes  her  to  the  bridegroom's  home  and 
leaves  her  there.  No  services  of  the  medicine-man  are 
necessary;  if  they  mutually  agree  to  live  as  husband  and 


PIMA  SONG 

USED  WHEN  THE  YOUNG  GIRLS  COME  OF  AGE 


Oi    -    no    -  -  ne 

Name  of  a  mountain,  usually  called  Oinopat, 
near  Tempe,  Arizona 


no 


a 


no    -  vang 
mountains 
(poetical  designation;  in  prose:  tudk) 


^-b  

-n      I  1— ==1  - 

 1  _A— J  ! 

X—^  1  1  1  1  

Z  ^-^  0  0  0  

c    .  J       ^       •  - 

Hon  -  yo  -  la  -  mo 

(in  prose:  hodyoli) 
alone 


kuk 


-   1  -  va 

stands 


kon 


td 


ge 

(in  prose:  kdgetam) 
end 


3: 


kc4  -  vo 

hill 


-9- 

tam  -  Ming  -  a 

(in  prose:  tamhaing) 
top 


of  -  vi 

woman 


Shas  -  i 


11 


nju  -  ke-nam     kai  -  nju  ■- na 

(in  prose:  njuketam)    (in  prose:  kaitsh) 
talk  (or  sing)  (seems) 


hi  -  mo     kvi  -  mo 

(no  expressible  meaning) 


This  song  may  still  be  heard  among  the  Papago,  e.  g.,  at  Anekam  rancheria 
in  Santa  Rosa  valley,  but  it  originated  from  the  Pima. 


wife,  they  remain  in  the  house  of  the  young  man's  father 
until  the  latter's  death.  The  son  may  make  a  house  for 
himself  near  by,  but  he  helps  his  father  in  his  work.  If 
the  girl  does  not  like  the  boy,  she  may  walk  back  to  her 
parents.  Conferences  between  the  fathers  will  then  ensue 
to  try  to  adjust  matters  and,  until  recently,  sometimes  the 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


father  of  the  girl  would  decide  to  whip  her  with  a  rope 
of  rawhide  to  bring  her  to  the  proper  way  of  thinking. 

Certain  periods  of  female  Hfe  are  looked  upon  with 
awe,  even  by  the  civilized  Papago.  If  a  hunter  touches 
a  woman  at  these  times  he  will  have  bad  luck  or  con- 
tract some  disease.  Formerly  a  girl  in  this  condition 
could  not  touch  her  hair.  If  she  wanted  to  scratch  her- 
self, it  would  have  to  be  done  with  a  stick,  and  even  her 
brother  could  not  touch  his  hair.  When  the  girls  come 
of  age,  dancing  and  singing  are  kept  up  for  many  nights 
in  succession  in  a  very  fatiguing  fashion,  as  neither  rest 
nor  food  is  taken.  No  intoxicating  drinks  are  partaken 
of,  and  one  marvels  at  the  exertions  that  primitive  man 
finds  it  necessary  to  undertake  in  order  that  the  girl  may 
be  started  right  in  life.  Formerly  these  ceremonies,  each 
time  lasting  four  nights,  had  to  be  performed  on  four  oc- 
casions, and  even  thus  the  girl  has  to  go  for  a  few  days' 
seclusion  to  the  hoholikaki,  a  house  specially  set  apart 
for  women  considered  temporarily  impure.  The  dan- 
cing on  such  occasions  consists  of  a  forward  and  back- 
ward rhythmical  movement  of  two  rows  of  men  and 
women  facing  each  other  and  at  the  same  time  slowly 
moving  in  a  circle.  The  participants  hold  each  other 
by  the  hand,  and  the  movements  are  in  time  with  the 
singing,  four  steps  forward  and  four  backward.  In  Quito- 
vac  where  the  Indians  have  been  much  influenced  by 
the  Mexicans,  although  they  have  given  up  the  dancing 
part  of  the  performances,  the  singing  is  kept  up  for  eight 
nights  or  more  in  succession. 

When  the  woman  feels  that  her  hour  is  approaching, 


Pima  granary.    IMade  from  twisted 
arrow  bush 


lIuT  eor  the  isolation  of  women 


Papago:  "Rainbow,"  from  La  Nariz 


THE  NAME  DAY 


351 


she  takes  up  her  abode  in  the  hohohkaki  where  she  re- 
mains for  over  three  weeks.  She  bears  her  child  ac- 
croupie  assisted  by  her  mother  or  elder  sister;  sometimes 
an  elderly  woman  is  specially  chosen  for  this,  acting  as 
midwife.  Formerly,  for  six  days  thereafter,  the  food  was 
made  for  the  mother  and  brought  to  her,  the  diet  for 
the  first  two  days  consisting  of  atole  bianco,  a  kind  of 
thin  gruel  made  of  maize  or  sometimes  wheat,  mixed 
with  the  seeds  of  the  sahuaro  fruit.  Now,  in  imitation 
of  Mexican  custom,  the  period  is  extended  to  twenty 
days.  The  husband  during  this  time  uses  a  different 
gourd  from  the  rest  of  the  family  when  he  drinks  water. 

Twenty  days  after  the  wife  has  returned  from  her 
seclusion  the  medicine-man  comes  to  the  house  to  give 
the  baby  clay  to  eat  and  present  it  with  a  name.  The 
clay  has  the  same  name,  pit,  as  that  used  in  pottery 
making,  and  it  does  not  look  in  anywise  different.  In 
the  afternoon,  after  having  mixed  a  small  quantity  with 
water  and  placed  the  mixture  in  a  sea-shell  on  the  ground, 
he  takes  up  a  position  east  of  it,  while  the  parents,  with 
the  infant,  stand  to  the  west.  He  walks  four  times 
toward  them,  the  last  time  hooting  low  like  an  owl. 
The  parents  have  to  take  the  drink  first,  then  the  baby. 
If  the  child  is  male,  the  medicine-man  gives  it  to  the 
mother  first;  if  it  is  female  the  father  drinks  first.  In 
administering  the  drink  to  the  child,  he  also  gives  it  a 
name,  which  the  grandparents  previously  have  agreed 
upon;  with  his  eagle  plumes  he  makes  passes  over  the 
infant,  and  with  the  same  object  sprinkles  some  of  the 
water  on  its  chest,  shoulders,  and  back.    The  advan- 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


tages  which  the  child  gains  are  supposed  to  be  health, 
strength,  and  luck;  untoward  happenings  are  also  pre- 
vented even  to  the  family  Itself.  If  the  birth  occurred 
In  the  season  of  thunder-storms,  the  danger  to  the  child, 
or  a  near  relative,  of  being  killed  by  lightning  will  be 
averted.  For  four  days  after  the  ceremony  the  parents 
abstain  from  eating  salt  and  jack-rabbit  meat,  and  they 
must  not  do  much  work;  the  father  cannot  hunt. 

The  natural  characteristic  of  the  Papago  Is  to  be  vir- 
tuous. According  to  Indian  reports,  a  woman  caught  in 
adultery  used  to  be  punished  with  death.  In  recent  times 
whipping  has  been  the  penalty  and  the  custom  of  killing 
her  animals  still  prevails.  The  tribe  has  been  notably 
stable  in  racial  qualities  during  centuries  of  contact  with 
whites.  Intermixture  to-day  rarely  takes  place  except 
in  Sonora,  where  the  Mexicans  have  taught  the  Indians 
new  customs.  In  the  out-of-the-way  places  of  southern 
Arizona  a  few  Americans  are  known  to  have  Papago 
wives;  they  have  children  and  to  all  appearances  are 
known  to  lead  happy  lives,  for  the  lady  of  the  house  is  in- 
telligent, quite  good-looking,  clean,  and  very  Industrious. 
During  my  stay  at  Sonolta  several  couples  came  to  be 
married  by  the  civil  authority  there. 

Murder  was  left  to  the  family  of  the  murdered  person 
to  punish.  From  an  American  who  speaks  their  lan- 
guage and  lives  in  the  central  part  of  the  Papagueria,  I 
received  what  I  must  accept  as  reliable  information  with 
regard  to  unnatural  vice,  which  perhaps  may  be  more  or 
less  restricted  to  that  locality.  Several  startling  instances 
were  told  me  by  him  and  also  by  a  trustworthy  Indian 


BASKETRY 


353 


who  was  present.  Even  a  married  man  with  full-grown 
daughters  was  subject  to  this  depravity.  One  young 
Indian  wanted  to  dress  Kke  a  woman,  but  was  prevented 
by  his  father.  A  Pima  Indian,  after  losing  his  wife,  had 
a  healthy  child  by  his  daughter. 

In  regard  to  the  industries  of  the  tribe,  attention  has 
already  been  called  to  pottery  making.  Weaving  was 
formerly  practised  on  a  loom  lying  on  the  ground,  but 
the  art  is  now  lost.  The  Papagoes,  as  well  as  the  Pimas, 
are  somewhat  noted  for  their  basket  work,  though  neither 
of  them  is  as  clever  as  the  Apache  in  this  respect.  They 
make  trays  and  bowl-shaped  ware  for  household  work 
and  also  some  large,  deep,  water-tight  baskets  which,  from 
their  principal  use,  may  be  termed  sahuaro  baskets.  In 
these  is  gathered  the  juicy  fruit  of  the  sahuaro;  the  sirup 
and  water  are  mixed  for  wine  making  and  the  wine  itself 
is  offered  at  the  festival.  They  are  rare  at  the  present 
time.  Women  are  the  basket  makers  and  in  the  best 
ware  the  white  material  used  is  produced  from  strips  of 
young  willow  shoots,  while  the  pods  of  the  martynia 
(devil's  claw),  split  in  two,  furnish  the  black  part  of  the 
texture.  The  good  workmanship  of  old  is  falling  into 
decline,  and  the  significance  of  the  decorative  designs  is 
almost  entirely  forgotten.  There  is  only  one  woman  at 
the  present  time  who  is  able  to  do  first-class  basket  work, 
and  she  cannot  tell  what  the  designs  mean.  In  Sonora 
the  making  of  basketry  has  ceased  to  exist. 

Granary  baskets  are  still  in  common  use  in  the  Santa 
Rosa  valley.  The  large  ones  are  made  inside  of  the  house, 
the  small  door-opening  preventing  their  removal.  The 


NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


material  of  which  they  are  made  was  formerly  a  certain 
grass,  which  may  still  be  used,  though  generally  wheat 
straw  takes  its  place.  Strips  of  mezquite  bark  are  em- 
ployed in  the  binding.  The  granary  basket  has  a  flat 
cover,  made  in  the  same  way,  which  is  sealed  with  mud. 
Sometimes  it  is  plastered  throughout  with  mud  as  a  pro- 
tection against  rats. 

The  pleasing  designs  seen  in  the  old  baskets  are  rapidly 
disappearing  on  account  of  the  deplorable  lack  of  aesthetic 
sense  among  those  who  are  eager  to  buy  Papago  baskets. 
The  makers  are  actually  encouraged  to  insert  crude  repre- 
sentations of  men  and  beasts  in  preference  to  the  former 
beautiful  conventionalized  designs  which  the  innate  ar- 
tistic sense  of  the  Indian  had  evolved.  The  trader  also 
teaches  the  Papago  to  make  the  baskets  quickly  and 
cheaply,  in  order  that  more  money  can  be  made  in  the 
market  from  ignorant  buyers.  A  society  for  the  preser- 
vation of  aboriginal  American  art  is  of  urgent  need  and 
should  be  attempted  even  at  this  late  day. 

It  is  difficult  to  ascertain  anything  about  the  origin 
or  early  history  of  the  tribe,  beyond  the  traditions  that  the 
people  when  returning  from  across  the  sea  left  ceremonial 
sticks  at  Caborca,  Quitovaquita,  and  Santa  Rosa. 

The  tribe  is  divided  into  five  groups,  descent  being  in 
the  male  line.  Their  names  have  lost  all  meaning;  two 
of  the  groups  {mam  and  vav)  are  known  as  red-velvet  ants 
{voki  ohimal)  and  three  {okul^  apap,  and  apki)  as  white- 
velvet  ants  {Hoa  ohimal).'^  Any  animal  that  has  red  about 

*  The  so-called  velvet  ants  are  females  of  certain  wasps  (of  the  family  mutil- 
lidae). 


c.  Martynia  ,  /.  Meaning  unknown 

Designs  of  Papago  baskets 


PRIMITIVE  DIVISIONS 


355 


it  belongs  to  the  red  people.  Members  of  salt  expeditions 
formerly  painted  on  their  faces  the  color  of  the  division 
to  which  they  belonged.  The  red  people  were,  according 
to  mythical  tradition,  the  original  owners  of  the  country, 
but  Elder  Brother,  Sihu^  having  been  ill-treated  by  them, 
brought  the  white  people  from  the  underworld  and  after 
many  big  fights  the  red  ones  were  almost  exterminated, 
and  even  to  this  day  they  are  fewer  than  the  white  groups. 
Much  in  the  minority  are  those  families  whose  children 
address  their  father  as  mamekam  or  vavekam.  The  rarest 
of  the  groups  is  vav,  and  the  most  common,  apki.  The 
mounds  are  attributed  to  the  red  people. 

The  rancherias  appear  to  have  a  division  of  their  own, 
that  part  of  the  Papagueria  which  is  comprised  within 
Arizona  being  divided  into  four  provinces.  Probably  the 
present  District  of  Altar  is  included  in  one  of  them. 
These  subdivisions  are: 

I.  Anekam  (name  derived  from  a  leguminous  tree, 
an)  consists  of  the  rancherias  Anekam,  Kukomalik,  and 
Tjuupo;  in  other  words,  the  upper  part  of  Santa  Rosa 
valley  as  far  north  as  the  Kohatk  people,  who  are 
Pimas. 

II.  Hohola  (meaning  of  the  word  unknown)  is  the 
north-western  part  of  the  Papagueria.  These  people 
extend  west  of  the  Quijotoa  range  as  far  as  Gila  Bend, 
including  Aktjin  rancheria,  four  or  five  miles  south  of  the 
modern  Maricopa  railroad  station.  Their  original  start- 
ing point  is  said  to  have  been  Cacate  rancheria  and  in- 
cludes such  rancherias  as  Pozos  Muchos,  Sauceda,  Pozo 
Blanco,  and  Barajita. 


356  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


III.  Totokvan,  ("Those  who  wear  loose  breech 
cloths."  Tokvan,  something  loose.  The  designation 
alludes  to  the  habit  of  the  people  of  this  section  of  using 
long  or  loose  loin  cloths  or  breech  cloths,  different  from 
those  worn  by  the  other  groups.  They  are  at  present 
more  frequently  called  by  the  nickname  kikimay  smart 
ones.)  This  section  comprises  most  of  the  Santa  Rosa 
valley,  the  Comobabi  range,  and  extends  east  as  far  as 
San  Xavier,  which  place  was  settled  mainly  by  people 
from  Santa  Rosa.  This  is,  roughly  speaking,  the  north- 
eastern part  of  the  Papagueria. 

IV.  Kokeloroti  (Indian  rendering  of  the  Mexican 
Tecoloteros;  from  tecolote,  owl).  Their  original  name  is 
Tjukutkokam  Kikam,  ''owl's  cry  inhabitants."  Tju- 
kutko,  owl's  cry;  tjukut^  owl,  and  ko,  cry;  kikam,  in- 
habitant, derived  from  ki,  house.  These  people  are  said 
to  have  started  originally  from  the  rancheria  Tecolote,  in 
Papago  Tjukutko,  and  extend  from  Indian  Oasis  south- 
ward, comprising  such  rancherias  as  Fresnal,  Koxikux, 
Tecolote,  Sepanovak,  and  Pozo  Verde.  This  section  is 
approximately  the  south-eastern  part  of  the  Arizona 
Papagueria,  and,  according  to  the  information  of  a  Pa- 
pago otherwise  trustworthy,  also  includes  the  Mexican 
Papagoes. 

Although  the  Papago,  as  we  have  seen,  have  elaborate 
dancing  festivals,  their  religion  is  not  regulated  by  ex- 
terior observances  to  such  an  extent  as  is  the  case  with 
many  other  Indian  tribes,  as,  for  instance,  that  of  the 
Pueblo  Indians,  or  of  the  Huichols  of  Mexico,  whose 
whole  life  is  ruled  by  ceremonies  and  symbols.  Many 


CREATION  MYTHS 


357 


still  pray  to  the  sun,  which  they  call  father.  The  deities 
most  mentioned  are  Elder  Brother  and  Earth  Magician. 
The  first  of  these  is  known  under  two  names,  litoi,  which 
means  ''to  drink  it  all,"  and  Sihu,  which  was  given  him 
after  the  deluge,  when  he  was  the  first  to  land.  He 
helped  Earth  Magician  at  the  beginning  of  time  to 
bring  order  out  of  chaos,  and  may  thus  be  termed  the 
creator  jointly  with  him.  He  created  deer  and  other  ani- 
mals as  well  as  the  trees  that  bear  fruit,  making  strong 
roots  to  hold  the  trees.  He  was  a  great  singer.  As  we 
have  seen,  Baboquivari  peak  and  Pinacate  belonged  to 
him,  and  here  sacred  caves,  in  which  he  was  supposed  to 
dwell,  were  devoted  to  his  worship. 

In  their  creation  myths  there  are  divergencies,  as  may 
be  expected.    One  version  begins: 

*'In  the  beginning  was  Sky  and  Earth.  Sky  came 
down  and  embraced  the  Earth." 

Another  is  rendered  thus: 

"In  the  beginning  the  world  was  all  darkness  and 
all  the  time  everything  was  moving  around.  In  that 
time  there  was  born  a  child  Tjivurt  makai.  Earth  Magi- 
cian, and  he  began  to  consider  what  to  do  to  make  the 
world  quiet.  He  took  up  some  earth,  mixed  it  with 
water,  and  made  a  round  fiat  cake  which  he  put  down 
on  the  world  to  calm  it,  but  it  was  of  no  avail,  for  the 
earth  kept  on  moving  around.  He  tried  to  steady  it, 
moving  it  back  and  forth,  and  in  doing  so  he  separated 
the  earth  and  the  sky.  A  noise  was  heard  and  another 
child  was  born,  who  was  litoi.  He  came  to  Earth  Magi- 
cian who  asked  him  where  he  was  born.    'Earth  is  my 


358  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 

mother  and  Sky  is  my  father/  litoi  answered.  'Help 
me  to  put  the  world  in  order/  Earth  Magician  asked 
him.  litoi  consented  to  this.  They  made  the  sun,  the 
moon,  and  the  stars,  and  then  in  their  light  they  set  to 
work.  Earth  Magician  took  two  small  beads  of  per- 
spiration, which  he  changed  into  two  spiders  which 
walked  around  the  world  four  times,  tying  the  earth 
and  the  sky  together  at  the  edges. 

"Then  the  two  magicians  made  people  out  of  earth 
and  water,  but  they  turned  out  to  be  bad  and  fought  and 
killed  each  other.  The  makers  turned  the  world  over 
and  made  new  people,  who  also  killed  each  other.  Four 
times  in  that  way  they  made  and  unmade  their  work. 
*  There  is  something  bad  in  the  world,'  they  said.  Earth 
Magician  went  around  making  holes  with  his  stick. 
Blood  came  up  and  washed  the  earth,  and  they  created 
new  people.  But  Earth  Magician's  people  were  queer 
— some  with  one  leg,  others  with  big  ears.  litoi  be- 
came angry  over  this  and  disowned  them.  Earth  Ma- 
gician also  was  angry  and  went  to  the  underworld  and 
stayed  there.  litoi  remained  here  among  his  people 
singing,  but  they  did  not  like  him  and  killed  him  on 
four  occasions,  and  each  time  he  would  be  walking  about 
again  the  next  day." 

Characteristic  of  their  social  life  are  two  kinds  of 
races,  eight  different  games  for  men  and  three  games 
for  women.  The  games  still  flourish  but  the  races  are 
on  the  point  of  disappearing.  The  most  important  of 
the  latter  is  a  foot-race,  run  by  two  men,  in  which  a  ball 
usually  made  from  mezquite  wood  is  kicked  along  by 


FOOT-RACES 


359 


each  contestant.  The  ball  must  not  be  touched  by  the 
hand.  One  or  two  men  on  horseback  assist  the  racers 
in  finding  the  balls  and  give  them  new  ones  in  case 
their  own  break  or  accidentally  are  lost.  The  last  great 
race  of  which  I  heard  was  given,  eighteen  years  ago, 
east  of  the  Quijotoa  Range.  According  to  a  Mexican 
from  Quitovac  who  was  present,  the  Indians  had  brought 
herds  of  cattle,  mules  and  horses,  clothing  and  money, 
all  to  serve  as  betting  stakes  on  the  occasion.  Fifty  odd 
Indians  kept  admirable  order.  The  two  runners,  who 
were  nude  but  for  a  cloth  around  the  loins  and  with  a 
bandanna  tied  around  the  head,  started  northward  early 
in  the  afternoon  in  the  direction  of  Santa  Rosa  rancheria. 
They  ran  seventeen  or  eighteen  miles  before  turning  back. 
One  of  the  runners  became  tired,  which  finished  the  race; 
then  the  assistants  picked  them  up,  giving  each  of  them, 
in  Mexican  fashion,  a  seat  behind  the  saddles  of  their 
horses,  and  in  that  way  they  returned  to  the  starting  point 
after  dark.  The  winner  was  about  thirty  years  old;  the 
other,  about  fifty,  had  some  gray  hair.  If  my  informant 
was  correct,  thousands  of  dollars  were  lost  in  bets.  The 
Barajita  rancheria  alone  came  out  two  hundred  animals 
short,  and  the  Pozo  Verde  loss  was  no  less.  Many  of 
those  who  lost  had  staked  all  their  live-stock  and  the 
women  wept.  A  race  of  less  importance  took  place  in 
the  same  region  some  seven  years  ago. 

The  Papago,  as  well  as  the  Pima,  was  able  to  cope 
with  the  fierce  Apaches  more  efficiently  than  were  the 
Spaniards  and  Mexicans.  The  young  men  were  trained 
from  childhood  for  future  combats  with  the  enemy.  It 


36o  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


must  not  be  forgotten  what  a  part  the  supernatural  plays 
in  the  Indian's  life;  cure  for  disease  is  sought  less  in 
remedies  than  in  magic  devices,  and  combat  with  an 
enemy  means  first  of  all  a  fight  of  magic  with  magic. 
Once,  as  one  of  their  tales  goes,  an  Apache  was  com- 
pletely surrounded,  but  the  Papagoes  feared  to  attack 
him  until  one  of  them  stepped  forward  carrying  his 
shield  with  its  symbolic  inscriptions  and  supposed  magic 
effect.  The  Apache  fired  his  rifle  at  him,  but  missed 
his  aim  because  he  was  overcome  by  the  shield's  magic 
power,  which  even  split  his  thumb,  so  that  he  could  not 
fire  straight  This  was  ascertained  by  the  Papagoes 
when  examining  the  body  of  the  Apache  afterward. 
Nevertheless,  the  education  of  the  boy  included  as  a 
matter  of  course  ability  to  handle  arms  and  the  mastery 
of  all  that  pertained  to  making  a  good  warrior.  In  the 
nightly  meetings  at  the  council  house,  he  was  taught,  be- 
sides, how  to  practise  for  the  races  and  how  to  hunt.  A 
considerable  amount  of  sane  advice  would  be  imparted  to 
the  young  man,  and  I  cannot  refrain  from  quoting  here 
the  late  Mr.  Frank  Russell  in  his  recent  memoir*  on  the 
Pima  Indians,  from  whom  the  Papago  segregated  long 
ago.  He  describes  the  exhortations  of  a  Pima  father  to 
his  son  in  the  following  manner:  *'If  you  are  wounded 
in  battle,  don't  make  a  great  outcry  about  it  like  a  child. 
Pull  out  the  arrow  and  slip  away;  or,  if  hard  stricken, 
die  with  a  silent  throat.  Go  on  the  war  trail  with  a 
small  blanket.    It  is  light  and  protection  enough  for 

*  Twenty-sixth  Annual  Report  of  the  Bureau  of  American  Ethnology ^ 
Washington. 


ARCH  ENEMIES  OF  THE  PAPAGO  361 


one  aided  by  the  magicians.  Inure  yourself  to  the  cold 
while  yet  a  boy.  Fight  not  at  all  with  your  comrades; 
preserve  your  strength  for  the  combat  with  the  Apaches; 
then,  if  brave,  will  come  to  you  high  honor.  Be  unself- 
ish or  you  will  not  be  welcome  at  the  fire  of  the  friendly; 
the  selfish  man  is  lonely  and  his  untended  fire  dies. 
Keep  your  peace  when  a  foolish  man  addresses  the 
people.  Join  not  in  his  imprudent  counsellings.  Above 
all,  talk  not  foolishly  yourself.  Bathe  in  the  cold  water 
of  the  early  morning,  that  you  may  be  prepared  for  the 
purification  ceremony  after  killing  an  enemy!" 

When  an  Apache  campaign  was  decided  upon,  there 
was  much  preparation  for  the  fray,  and  the  feasts  and 
ceremonies  connected  with  the  return  of  a  victorious 
party  were  among  the  most  elaborate,  foot-races  and 
gambling  forming  a  part.  If  the  Apaches  killed  some 
of  the  Papagoes,  the  former  were  believed  to  take  the 
clouds  away,  so  the  Papagoes  had  to  go  and  kill  some 
of  them  in  order  to  bring  the  clouds  back.  Sometimes 
the  Apaches  would  be  discovered  in  a  week,  and  some- 
times a  whole  month  would  pass  before  the  encounter. 
The  provisions  consisted  of  pinole;  bows  and  arrows, 
lances  and  clubs  were  the  weapons,  and  almost  every  one 
of  the  party  had  a  shield.  The  Apaches  have  been 
credited  with  a  superstition  about  fighting  at  night,  and 
the  Pimas  at  least  are  said  to  have  used  this  disinclina- 
tion to  their  advantage.  On  returning,  those  who  had 
killed  Apaches  had  to  stay  away  from  their  houses  and 
bathe  early  in  the  morning  before  sunrise  four  times  at 
intervals  of  four  days.    One  man  was  appointed  to  pro- 


362  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


vide  them  with  water  and  food,  of  which  they  partook 
sparingly.  Meat  and  salt  were  forbidden.  He  would 
come  by  night  and  they  would  smoke  tobacco  together. 
The  first  night  was  spent  in  dancing.  After  sixteen 
days'  seclusion  in  this  manner,  the  feast  would  come  off, 
but  the  dieting  and  abstention  on  the  part  of  the  slayers 
lasted  sixteen  days  more.  If  a  man  had  killed  an  Apache 
before,  he  did  not  need  to  go  so  far  away  from  the  house 
or  be  so  rigorous  in  his  diet  as  the  inexperienced  young 
man. 

Sham  battles  used  to  be  a  prominent  feature  in  the 
social  life  of  the  Papago.  The  last  one  was  given  five 
years  previous  to  my  visit  to  Anekam  in  the  Santa  Rosa 
valley  and  there  was  some  talk  of  having  one  again  in 
the  near  future.  In  these  sham  battles  dummies  of 
straw  are  placed  in  the  mountains,  sometimes  at  a  dis- 
tance of  a  two  days'  excursion.  In  the  evenings  before 
the  attack  the  men  sit  for  a  while  in  a  large  circle,  their 
weapons  lying  in  the  centre,  but  they  soon  disperse 
around  the  different  fires  to  sleep,  while  some  of  them 
watch.  Somebody  goes  ahead  and  makes  a  big  fire 
near  the  dummies,  and  the  attack  begins  at  dawn.  Four 
men  have  been  chosen  to  kill  the  dummies,  only  one, 
who  leads,  carrying  a  shield;  they  all  have  feathers  at- 
tached to  their  hats  or  to  specially  made  leather  caps. 

On  their  return  there  is  dancing  for  four  nights  and 
singing;  the  dancing  is  similar  to  that  of  the  sahuaro 
feast.  Some  of  the  men,  who  are  well  paid  by  general 
contributions,  play  the  part  of  those  who  kill  Apaches, 
imitating  their  actions;  one  of  them  carries  a  shield  and 


PASSING  OF  THE  OLD  363 

the  rest  have  ordinary  weapons.  The  four  who  killed 
the  dummies  keep  away  from  the  dancing  place  until 
the  last  night.  They  fast,  and  must  not  drink  water. 
Pits  are  made  in  the  ground,  a  hundred  yards  or  more 
away,  which  are  a  foot  deep  and  wide  enough  to  hold 
a  man  sitting  with  legs  crossed.  Here  the  four  warriors 
have  to  sit  immovable  during  the  whole  night,  holding 
the  scalps  of  the  supposed  Apaches,  and  care  being  taken 
that  they  do  not  face  either  the  sun  or  the  moon.  Special 
songs  are  sung  for  these  men.  One  man  looks  after 
them,  and  they  are  under  so  much  restriction  that  they 
cannot  scratch  their  heads  or  any  part  of  their  body 
with  their  hands,  but  have  to  apply  a  small  greasewood 
twig  if  the  necessity  arises.  Their  wives,  who  also  fast, 
sit  in  pits  behind  their  husbands.  After  the  dance  is 
over  the  four  men  still  have  to  keep  up  the  taboo  and 
dieting  four  days  longer;  then  they  bathe,  and  when 
they  go  to  sleep  many  songs  come  to  them  in  their 
dreams.  Among  the  Pimas,  when  the  warrior  had  killed 
an  Apache,  his  wife  made  a  tray,  with  a  large  svastika 
design  interwoven. 

The  primitive  condition  of  Papago  society  is  giving 
way  to  the  new,  but  not  without  a  jar.  In  old  times  in  the 
house  of  a  prominent  man,  with  his  four  or  five  wives, 
no  quarrels  would  arise.  When  his  household  was  in- 
creased by  the  additional  families  of  his  sons  who,  accord- 
ing to  ancient  custom,  made  their  homes  with  him,  the 
serene  atmosphere  continued;  there  was  no  question  of 
mother-in-law,  or  other  disturbing  factors,  in  their  nicely 
adjusted  relations.    The  families  were  large  and  peace 


364  NEW  TRAILS  IN  MEXICO 


and  harmony  reigned,  but  now  all  that  is  changing.  The 
Indian  who  has  to  work  for  his  living  finds  it  hard  to  make 
ends  meet,  and  to  support  additional  people  becomes  im- 
possible, hence  quarrels  and  unpleasant  conditions  begin 
to  manifest  themselves. 

Formerly  they  lived  in  large  rancherias,  but  in  the  last 
twenty  years  the  tendency  has  been  to  scatter.  They 
have  been  touched  by  commercialism  and  are  now  show- 
ing energy  in  acquiring  cattle  and  other  property.  For- 
merly, too,  a  family  owned  a  couple  of  cows  and  a  horse  or 
sometimes  they  had  no  animals,  but  during  the  last  twenty 
years  the  tribe  has  acquired  a  considerable  number  of 
live-stock,  often  twenty  cows  and  from  ten  to  twelve  horses 
to  a  family.  Four  or  five  families  are  the  individual  pos- 
sessors of  a  few  hundred  head  of  cattle,  but  there  is  no 
difference  in  their  mode  of  life  from  that  of  the  rest. 

The  women  are  clever  in  adapting  themselves  to  the 
new  conditions.  I  know  of  an  instance  where  the  wife 
made  a  shirt  for  her  husband  without  ever  having  learned 
how  to  cut  it  out,  and  the  garment,  when  finished,  was 
very  creditably  done.  What  the  girls  desire  most  to  ac- 
quire at  school  is  the  knowledge  of  music  and  dress- 
making. Some  of  them  have  learned  at  the  Presbyterian 
schools  to  play  the  piano,  which  redounds  much  to  the 
credit  of  the  schools.  To  develop  man's  sense  for  har- 
mony and  the  beautiful,  whether  by  music  or  other  re- 
fining pursuits,  is  as  important  as  to  teach  him  to  read 
and  write. 

The  Papagoes  recognize  the  white  man's  superiority 
and  have  begun  to  make  money  an  aim  in  life,  which  may 


CIVILIZING  THE  INDIANS  365 


be  the  necessary  step  for  their  further  advancement. 
They  have  adopted  civiHzed  man's  mode  of  dressing,  his 
tools,  vessels,  and  implements,  sewing-machines,  and  even 
phonographs,  bacon,  bread,  and  coffee,  and  all  the  different 
brands  of  crackers  and  canned  goods.  Their  ideas  and 
manners  are  naturally  changing.  One  prominent  Papago 
complained  to  me  that  the  women  were  gossiping  now  as 
white  women  do.  These  Indians  still  insist  on  speaking 
their  own  language,  but  they  might  just  as  well  give  it  up, 
as  they  no  longer  preserve  their  traditions  and  ancient 
customs.  The  future  augurs  well  for  the  Papago  as  long 
as  the  government's  wise  prohibition  against  the  sale  of 
alcohol  continues  to  be  rigidly  enforced.  There  is  no 
trouble  in  civilizing  the  Indians  by  education,  but  a  great 
step  in  the  right  direction  would  be  to  civilize  the  rough 
whites  first. 


APPENDICES 


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:3  :3 


J5  ^ 


c  c  B  -^^.B  o  (u 
:S      S  ^ 


c3    <U  JlS 


t-~t^l>-t^t^.t^t^COO0O0C50O0 


372 


APPENDIX  I 


COCOPA. 

xinju. 
metar. 

wi  (stone,   rock)  manyu 

(high), 
wixaktjul. 
wi. 
eshir. 

pit. 

shuyel. 
shmal., 

^ktjas. 

xamitsa. 

kikvai. 

xart. 

tuma. 

martkeva. 

akkvak. 

^mmo. 

xalxa. 

PIMA. 

hotjulko  shootkam. 
shaakik. 

sikuli  tjuurtkam. 
60s. 

hwei. 
kove. 

PAPAGO. 

vdmuTi. 
v6oshan. 
tjuk.^ 
kavolik. 

hotai. 
on. 

vainom. 
suosik. 

OS. 

koak. 

hahak. 

ulitak. 

vashai. 

hok. 

hoin. 

haal^. 

tjuokuk. 

koks. 

tjotum. 

shuu. 

gdso. 

tjursa. 

tjuov. 

ENGLISH. 

85  lake. 

86  valley. 

87  plain,  llano. 

88  hill,  mountain. 

89  island. 

90  stone,  rock. 

91  salt. 

92  iron. 

93  forest. 

94  tree. 

95  wood. 

96  leaf. 

97  bark. 

98  grass. 

99  pine. 

100  maize. 

101  squash. 

102  flesh,  meat. 

103  dog. 

104  bear. 

105  wolf. 

106  fox. 

107  deer. 

108  mountain -sheep. 

109  beaver. 

no    rabbit,  hare. 

APPENDIX  I 


373 


xn 


^a3 


c3 


^  1:5  42  ^ 


a. 


To  ^ 


O  . 


^   <-!   ;  +j   c/3  c/2 


1 ,2:^  «2 


O  ^ 


to 
13 


c  > 


-'1 


O  03 

a  a 

^a3  ^c:j 


>     >  ^ 


d  ^ 

o  ^  c 


«5 

•4-> 

<r3 


03 
(P. 

^03 
> 


> 


ri4 

^2     .2,  2      3  '-j^-  d  •■XT'  2  3 


13  :0 


j3  cm 


03 

q 

C  o3 


<u  o 


k3  O 


CI    rO        to  00 


374 


APPENDIX  I 


COCOPA. 

pvai. 

xatak. 

mushupd. 

yupart. 

tur. 

Ixap. 

njap. 

mapun. 

nirshan. 

njapa. 

nirshan. 

pin. 

shun. 

samel. 

ninjam. 

maka'n. 

kur. 

xarpai. 

upai. 

shut 

njapum. 

sinyar. 

njakam. 

ii. 

laxem. 
ushit. 

PIMA. 

it  1 

PAPAGO. 

skuukatsh. 
pi  kuukatsh. 
moki. 
toakam. 
suupi. 

ani. 

api. 

hukai. 

atjim. 

apim. 

hukam. 

iita. 

hukai. 

moi. 

hudai. 

mork. 

pi  mork. 

lija. 

amai. 

itta^'sh. 

tako. 

sialim. 

haeo. 

pia. 

humako,  sometimes:  mato 
(in  counting). 

ENGLISH. 

i            1  jl 

CO    00    M    W    rO"^vnMD    t-CO    00    w    <N    <r)TfiovO    t^OO    OO    m    W  ro"^ 

APPENDIX  I 


375 


^-  ^  :o  '2  §     ><  a  ^ 

:0>tIc«c«><!P-ic«><!iW 
^^^^^^^^^^ 
g  v3         v3  v3         ^3  v^S 

^^^^^^^^ 


M    c/:  c/3 


C/2  CO 


15  '53  'SH. 


o  o 
>  > 


.  ^ 

^'  :^  ^-  ^  o  ^  3  a  12 

O    c3  to  ^  :0 


2i 


d   )-,  .pi 

:0  O  m:^ 
>  > 


+i  O  O 

O   )-i  w  crt  t:? 

>  :0  :0 

=°  o  ^  > 

VP  :5 


u-  ^ 


C    •4->     ^;  fll 

CO    W    O)    C  +J  ID 


^  ^  3  ^  -s 


C3 


d  o 


8  . 


ai  w  CO 


OOOOOOOO 


376 


APPENDIX  I 


COCOPA. 

panak. 

apuvax. 

apua. 

ax. 

puyi. 

apaaux. 

nawirar. 

valish. 

asuney. 

akix. 

ausey. 

uukx. 

PIMA. 

vohih. 
vohih. 

voho. 

PAPAGO. 

tatjua. 

taxiva. 

kukiva. 

hih. 

tjivia. 

him. 

tjikpo. 

latok. 
ma. 

xiixum. 
shosha. 

ENGLISH. 

193  to  love. 

194  to  kill. 

195  to  sit. 

196  to  stand. 

197  to  go. 

198  to  come. 

199  to  walk. 

200  to  work. 

201  to  steal. 

202  to  lie. 

203  to  give. 

204  to  laugh. 

205  to  cry. 

APPENDIX  II 


RANCHERIAS,  PRESENT  AND  PAST,  OF  THE  PAPAGO 

WITH  INTERPRETATIONS  OF  THEIR  NATIVE  NAMES 

I  HAVE  found  it  convenient  to  treat  Arizona  and  Sonora  separately. 
The  division  into  winter  and  summer  rancherias  has  been  maintained, 
ahhough  it  is  sometimes  difficult  to  make  a  strict  distinction.  Instead 
of  winter  rancheria  I  use  only  the  word  "rancheria,"  which  comprises 
in  the  list,  as  indeed  also  in  actuality,  especially  the  winter  habitations, 
including  also  at  times  permanent  abodes. 

The  words  *' summer  rancheria"  designate  the  temporary  habita- 
tions resorted  to  for  the  purpose  of  agriculture  during  the  capricious 
showers  of  the  summer.  The  Indian  name  for  summer  rancheria  is 
obitaky  field  for  cultivation  {milpa).  The  common  Mexican  expression 
for  this  kind  of  ranch,  both  in  Sonora  and  southern  Arizona,  is  tem- 
porales,  which  means  ranches  dependent  for  their  water  upon  showers, 
a  Spanish-Americanism,  also  used  in  Peru.  (Bandelier.)  Rancho  de 
temporal:  "ranch  of  rain-storm"  is  the  name  for  a  single  ranch  of  this 
kind.  "Winter  rancheria,"  used  in  the  above  sense,  is  indicated  by  the 
letter  r;  "summer  rancheria"  by  the  letter  s. 

The  four  Pima  rancherias  of  the  Kohatk  people  are  given  at  the 
end  of  the  Arizona  division.  At  the  end  of  the  Sonora  division  will  be 
found  the  names  of  the  principal  camps  of  the  sand  Papagoes  (^arenenos). 

I. — Arizona 

Aaivdnam,  Rancheria.  "Both  Sides  Hat."  (^(3/,  both  sides;  vdnam, 
hat.)  A  mountain  there  looks  like  a  hat,  seen  from  either  of  two 
sides.  South-west  of  Santa  Rosa,  j-,  in  the  Quijotoa  Range,  near 
Brown  ell. 

Aktjin,  Summer  Rancheria.  "Arroyo  Mouth."  (Ak%  arroyo;  /ym, 
mouth.)    Two  and  one-half  miles  south  of  Makumivboka,  r. 

377 


378 


APPENDIX  II 


Jktjin,  Rancheria.  Three  or  four  miles  south  of  Maricopa  railroad 
station. 

Alitjukson,  Summer  Rancheria.  "Little  Tucson"  or,  more  correctly, 
"At  the  foot  of  {shon  or  son)  small  (d//)  black  {tjuk)  hill."  Three 
miles  from  Artesa  Range,  on  the  north  side  of  the  road  between 
Indian  Oasis  and  Fresnal,  r. 

Aloitak,  Summer  Rancheria.  "Little  Field."  [Ali,  small,  child;  ditak, 
field,  milpa.)    Two  miles  south-east  of  Santa  Rosa,  s. 

Anekam,  Summer  Rancheria.  "Where  the  an  tree  grows."  {An,  a 
slender  tree,  belonging  to  the  leguminosce.  It  has  long  leaves  and 
pink  flowers;  may  possibly  be  the  desert  willow.)  Half  of  the 
people  are  from  Tjuupo,  r.,  in  the  north-west. 

Aquimuriy  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Akimuri  ("River,"  "Arroyo"). 
East  of  La  Nariz,  r.,  Sonora,  Mexico,  three  miles  inside  of  the 
boundary  line.  Three  or  four  families  live  here.  There  is  a  pond 
here. 

Barajtta,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Tonoka  ("Knee").  Situated  on  the 
east  side  of  the  Ajo  Range,  five  miles  from  the  northern  point,  near 
the  range. 

Bates* s  Well,  also  called  Growler  Well  or  El  Veit.  In  Papago,  Tjuni- 
kdatk  ("Where  there  is  sahuaro  fruit."  Tjuni,  sahuaro  fruit). 
Twenty  miles  (seven  leagues)  north  of  Quitovaquita,  r.  Some  of 
the  former  sand  people  live  here.  At  present  this  is  a  mine  and 
store,  a  few  Americans  residing.    Good  well. 

"Bitter  Well,**  Rancheria.  In  Papago  Sivvdxia.  (Siv,  bitter;  vdxia, 
well,  waterhole,  also  spring.)  Two  miles  east  of  the  Vekol  mine. 
Four  to  five  families  are  said  to  live  here. 

Brownell,  mine,  store  and  post-office  in  the  Quijotoa  Range,  eighty 
miles  west  of  Tucson.    {See  Aaivonam.) 

Cacate,  Summer  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Kdka  ("Clearing").  South- 
east of  Gila  Bend  and  west  of  Vekol  mountains,  about  thirty-five 
miles  west  of  Kohatk  (Pima).  The  population,  according  to  in- 
formation given  me  by  Mr.  T.  Childs,  of  Batamote,  is  about  two 
hundred,  old  and  young,  and  is  much  mixed. 

Cajilon,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Aakta  ("Horn  lying."  Aak,  horn). 
Fifteen  miles  south  of  the  Vekol  mine.  This  is  an  old  rancheria,  now 
probably  abandoned,  the  former  inhabitants  living  in  Cacate,  r. 


APPENDIX  II 


379 


Char  CO  de  la  Piedra,  Temporales.  In  Papago,  Hotashbnevo  (Pond  at 
the  base  of  the  rock."  Hdta,  stone,  rock;  shon  or  son,  base,  at  the 
foot  of;  vo,  pond).  Twenty  to  twenty-five  miles  west  of  Pozo 
Blanco,  r.    Indians  come  here  from  Pozo  Redondo,  r. 

Comobdbi,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Komvdxia  ("Well  where  the  kom 
tree  grows."  Kom,  tree  with  red  berries, called  cumaro  in  Spanish; 
vdxia,  well  (Spanish,  pozo),  or  a  hole  dug  in  the  sandy  bed  of  an 
arroyo  to  reach  water,  also  spring.  If  it  were  the  tree^s  well, 
then  it  would  be  called  Komvdxiak).  In  the  Comobabi  mountains, 
seven  miles  distant  from  Kavvaxiak. 

Covered  Well  or  Pozo  Tapado,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Maish^vaxia 
(maish^,  to  cover;  vdxia,  well,  waterhole,  also  spring).  Fifteen 
miles  west  of  Indian  Oasis;  one  and  one-half  miles  west  of 
Tjiuvak,  r.    Inhabited  by  ten  or  twelve  families. 

Coyote,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Pantak  ("Where  the  coyote  is."  Pan, 
coyote).  In  the  northern  part  of  Baboquivari  Range.  Situated 
two  miles  south  of  the  road  when  at  two  miles'  distance  from 
Maishe's  Well. 

Cubo,  Temporales.  In  Papago,  Kuvo  ("Big  Pond."  Ku,  large,  big; 
vo,  pond).  It  is  five  miles  south-east  of  Barajita,  r.,  twenty  to 
twenty-five  miles  south  of  Ajo  copper  mine,  and  about  the  same 
distance  north-west  of  La  Nariz,  r.,  Sonora,  Mexico.  This  is  a 
large  summer  rancheria  on  the  llano.  Indians  come  here  up  to 
the  number  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  souls  from  the  rancherias 
Sauceda,  Cacate,  and  Barajita,  and  from  Gila  Bend,  to  cultivate 
the  soil. 

El  Mezquite,  Rancheria.    In  Papago,  Vdtjeki  ("Small  Waterhole." 

The  hole  was  made  and  water  gathered  by  digging  with  a  basket). 

North  of  La  Nariz,  r.,  Sonora,  Mexico,  nine  miles  (three  leagues) 

from  the  boundary  line,  in  a  basin  near  Mezquite  Range.  Very 

old,  probably  now  abandoned. 
Fresnal,  Rancheria.    It  consists  of  three  rancherias  in  the  western  and 

middle  part  of  Baboquivari  Range. 

1.  Koxikux  (Kdxi,  mulberry  tree;  kux,  where  it  stands)  is  the 

most  northern. 

2.  ("Willow  Forest."    Tshtuli,  willow;  seik,  forest). 
One  mile  south  of  Koxikux. 


38o 


APPENDIX  II 


3.  Pitoikam  ("Where  there  are  ash  trees."  Pitoi^  ash  tree). 
Three  miles  south-west  of  Tshiuliseik.  This  latter  ran- 
cheria  is  the  largest  of  them.  Probably  there  are  no  less 
than  five  hundred  souls  in  the  three  rancherias.  Nos. 
I  and  2  are  situated  one  and  one-half  miles  in  among  the 
foot-hills,  about  four  thousand  two  hundred  feet  above  sea 
level;  No.  3  is  at  the  beginning  of  the  llano. 
Giikivoky  Summer  Rancheria.    "Where  the  plough  was  lying."  {Giik 

(also  kiik),  plough;  vok,  lying.)  South  of  Indian  Oasis. 
Horseshoe,  Placer  gold  mine,  store,  and  post-office.  In  Papago, 
Komaktjivurt  ("Gray  Soil."  Komak,  gray;  tjtvurt,  soil.  The 
name  alludes  to  the  presence  of  caliche).  In  the  Quijotoa  Range. 
The  gold  digging  itself  was  formerly  alluded  to  as  olak,  "Where 
there  is  gold"  (oro).  At  present  only  the  Indians  occasionally  dig 
for  gold. 

Indian  Oasis,  store  and  post-office,  seventy  miles  west  south-west  of 
Tucson.    (See  Komoktetuvdvosit.) 

James^  Ranch,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Vavstjuutak  ("Green  Rock." 
Vav,  rock;  stjuutak,  green).  In  the  Artesa  mountains,  a  couple 
of  miles  south  of  Indian  Oasis. 

Jiquiboy  also  called  Pirigua,  Summer  Rancheria.  "Where  there  is  a 
rough  mountain."  (In  Papago,  Htkibon  or  Hikjovan.  Hik, 
rough,  ridged.  Hair  that  has  been  cut  short  is  also  said  to  be  hik.) 
Situated  on  a  llano  in  a  kind  of  basin,  north-east  of  Ajo  copper 
mine.  There  are  several  waterholes  or  wells  here,  and  the  Ind- 
ians are  said  to  use  the  water  for  irrigating  purposes. 

Kditjimok,  Summer  Rancheria.  "Burnt  Sahuaro  Seed."  {Kaitj,  seed 
of  the  sahuaro  fruit;  mok,  burn.)    Another  name  for  Santa  Rosa,  s. 

Kakota,  Rancheria.  "Crooked."  It  is  on  the  south-west  side  of  the 
Quijotoa  Range,  eight  miles  south  of  Horseshoe.  Indians  settled 
here,  falling  heir  to  a  well  that  some  Mexicans  abandoned  when 
the  placer  mining  of  the  place  gave  out. 

Kdvolik,  Summer  Rancheria.  "Hill."  Six  or  seven  miles  south  of 
Kuditak. 

Kavvdxiak,  Rancheria.  "Badger's  Well."  (Kav,  badger;  vdxia.  See 
under  Comobabi.)  In  the  Comobabi  mountains,  about  six  miles 
north-east  of  Noria,  r. 


APPENDIX  II 


381 


Kdlipatvdoka,  Summer  Rancheria.  "Dead  Old  Man's  Pond."  (Kdliy 
old  man;  pat,  dead,  something  of  the  past;  vo,  pond.)  Fifteen 
miles  north-east  of  Horseshoe. 

Kdmalik,  Summer  Rancheria.  "Mountain  Crest."  Name  is  derived 
from  a  low  ridge  north  of  the  place.  Ten  miles  south-west  of 
Fresnal,  r.    It  has  a  pond. 

Kdmoktetuvdvosit,  Rancheria.  "Where  the  turtle  was  caught." 
(Kdmoktet,  turtle.)  It  is  a  mile  from  Indian  Oasis  and  was  estab- 
lished five  years  ago 

Kukdmalik,  Rancheria.  "Big  mountain  crest."  {Ku,  large,  big; 
kdmalik,  mountain  crest.)  Fourteen  miles  north  of  Anekam.  It 
is  twenty-five  to  thirty  miles  west  to  south  of  Silver  Bell.  The 
village  is  inhabited  all  the  year  on  account  of  a  well  left  by  an 
American.  Its  fields  are  insignificant.  The  inhabitants  go  to 
Anekam  for  religious  ceremonies. 

Kuditak,  Summer  Rancheria.  "Large  Fields."  {Ku,  large;  ditak, 
field,  milpa.)    Thirteen  miles  south  of  the  "Pumphouse." 

Kutjuupo,  Rancheria.  "  Big  waterhole  in  the  rock."  {Ku,  big;  tjuupo, 
rocky  cavity  containing  water,  natural  water  tank;  Spanish,  tinaja.) 
In  the  western  foot-hills  of  Baboquivari  Range,  eight  to  ten  miles 
north  of  Fresnal,  r. 

Kvitatk,  Summer  Rancheria.  "Mezquite  Root."  (Kvi,  mezquite; 
tatk,  root.)  Thirteen  miles  north-west  of  Indian  Oasis;  one-half 
mile  from  the  "Pumphouse." 

Z^-ywo,  Rancheria.  "Below,"  "Low  Down."  One  and  one-half  miles 
north-east  of  Santa  Rosa,  s. 

La  Lesna,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Shuundkia  ("Hanging  Wolf." 
Shiiu,  vv^olf;  ndkia,  hanging).  Three  miles  from  the  boundary 
line,  eleven  miles  (four  leagues)  north-west  of  Banori,  r.,  Sonora, 
Mexico. 

La  Moralita,  Rancheria.  Papago  name  unknown.  It  is  ten  or  twelve 
miles  north-east  of  La  Nariz,  r.,  in  Sonora,  Mexico. 

La  Quituni,  Summer  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Aktjin  ("Arroyo's 
Mouth."  Jk,  arroyo;  tjin,  mouth).  North-west  of  La  Nariz,  r., 
Sonora,  Mexico,  three  miles  from  the  boundary  line.  It  used  to 
be  visited  by  Indians  from  Sonoita,  but  has  been  abandoned  over 
ten  years. 


382 


APPENDIX  II 


Los  Camotes,  Ranchena.  In  Papago,  Shdatkam  (Name  of  an  edible 
root).  Situated  three  miles  west  of  the  Mezquite  Range,  near  the 
boundary  line,  northward  of  La  Nariz,  r.,  Sonora,  Mexico.  Two 
families  live  here,  who  go  to  Sonoita  when  the  water  gives  out. 

Makumivooka,  Rancheria.  "Caterpillar  Pond."  (Mdkum,  a  yellow, 
black-striped  caterpillar,  boiled  and  eaten  by  the  Papago.  It  ap- 
pears in  August.  F o,  pond.)  It  is  nine  miles  south-east  of  Kvivo, 
r.  (near  Santa  Rosa,  s.) 

Milpitas,  Summer  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Kokuli  ("Corral,"  "En- 
closure"). Twelve  miles  south-east  of  Pozos  Muchos,  r.  (north- 
ern part  of  the  Papagueria). 

Noipokam^  Rancheria.  The  name  is  of  Spanish  origin,  meaning  un- 
known. It  is  north-west  of  Horseshoe,  in  the  Quijotoa  Range, 
two  miles  from  Brownell. 

Noriay  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Ndolik  (Corruption  of  the  Mexican 
name  which  means  "spring").  It  used  to  be  called  in  Papago, 
Fipenak  ("Where  vipenoiy  a  small  cactus,  is  growing").  It  is  a 
short  distance  west  north-west  of  Indian  Oasis.  This  is  an  old 
village  and  it  has  more  people  now  than  before. 

Notovaxia,  Rancheria.  "Well  where  the  sacaton  grass  grows."  {Not, 
sacaton  grass;  vdxia,  well,  waterhole,  also  spring.)  In  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  Comobabi  mountains. 

Ootovaxia,  Rancheria.  "Sand  Well."  (Oof,  sand;  vdxia,  well.)  In 
the  northern  part  of  the  Comobabi  mountains. 

Pelon  or  Rancheria  del  Pelon,  Rancheria.  Also  called  "Lower  Vil- 
lage." In  Papago,  Kvivo  ("Below,"  "Low  Down,"  namely,  on 
the  river).  It  is  in  Gila  Bend  Papago  Reservation,  ten  miles  from 
Gila  Bend  railroad  station. 

Pirtgua,  Summer  Rancheria.    {See  Jiquibo.) 

Pisinemo,  Summer  Rancheria.   In  Papago,  Pi^inemoi  ("Bear's  Head." 

Pi/in,  brown  bear;  mo,  head.)    It  is  fifteen  miles  north-west  of 

the  south  end  of  the  Quijotoa  Range. 
Pozo  Blanco,  Rancheria.    In  Papago,  Komvdxia  ("Well  where  the  kom 

tree  (Spanish,  comaru)  grows";  vdxia,  well,  waterhole,  also  spring). 

Near  the  Quijotoa  range,  eight  miles  south-west  of  Brownell;  four 

or  five  miles  west  of  "Covered  Well."    It  is  forty  miles  from  Pozo 

Redondo,  r.    Four  or  five  families  live  here. 


APPENDIX  II 


383 


Pozo  Colorado^  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Vokivdxia  ("Red  Well." 
Vdk,  red  (usually  sovdk  or  suvuk)',  vdxia,  well,  waterhole,  also 
spring).  Near  Pozos  Muchos,  r.  It  is  a  very  old  rancheria,  in- 
habited by  two  to  four  families. 

Pozo  de  Federico,  Rancheria.    {See  Wall's  Well.) 

Pozo  Redondo,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Sikorttjuupo  ("Round  Tank." 
Stkort  (stkul),  round;  tjuupo,  rocky  cavity  with  water;  in  Spanish, 
tinaja).  It  is  about  twelve  miles  east  of  Ajo  copper  mine,  on  the 
east  side  of  the  Pozo  Redondo  Range.  These  Indians  have  fields 
in  Cubo,  s. 

Pozo  Tapado,  Rancheria.  {See  Covered  Well.) 
Pumphouse/'  Rancheria.  About  twenty  years  ago  a  mining  com- 
pany made  a  deep  well  and  a  pump  with  a  large  chimney,  eight 
miles  south-east  of  Horseshoe,  in  the  Quijotoa  Range.  The  well 
was  later  abandoned.  Some  Indians  established  themselves  here, 
and  this  small  rancheria  is  now  usually  called  Vdinomkux  ("Iron 
prominence."    Fdinom,  iron;  kux,  standing,  prominent). 

Pozos  Muchos,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Molvdxia  ("Many  Wells." 
Mot,  many;  vdxia,  well,  waterhole,  also  spring).  South  south- 
east of  Gila  Bend,  eight  miles  easterly  of  Sauceda,  r.  Eight  to 
ten  families  live  here.  They  have  several  waterholes  or  wells  and 
are  said  to  irrigate  with  this  water. 

Quitovaquita,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Alivaipia  ("Small  Springs." 
All,  small,  child;  vaipia  is  plural  of  vdxia,  well,  waterhole,  spring). 
South  of  Ajo  copper  mine,  just  within  United  States  boundary. 
This  is  a  locality  with  many  small  springs  of  good  water.  It  is 
permanently  occupied  by  one  or  two  families.    Some  agriculture. 

Rincon,  Rancheria.    Two  miles  north  of  Sepdnovak,  r. 

Rincon,  Rancheria.  In  north-eastern  part  of  Baboquivari  Range.  A 
large  rancheria,  belonging  to  a  civilized  Papago.  According  to 
my  interpreter,  Pablo,  there  are  no  other  rancherias  on  the  eastern 
side  of  Baboquivari  Range. 

San  Lorenzo,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Silinakik  ("Hanging  Saddle." 
Stli,  saddle,  a  corruption  of  the  Spanish  silla).  Twelve  miles  east 
south-east  of  Makumivooka. 

San  Miguel,  Summer  Rancheria.  Five  miles  south  from  Tjuulik,  s.;  ten 
miles  north  of  Monument  143  on  the  boundary  line.  Of  recent  date. 


384 


APPENDIX  II 


San  Pedro^  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Viopoli  (a  kind  of  tobacco).  This 
is  a  new  rancheria  in  the  Roskruge  Range,  seventeen  miles'  dis- 
tance north  from  Hayes's  Well,  thirty-six  miles  from  Makumi- 
vooka,  r. 

Santa  Rosa,  Summer  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Kudtshi  ("Big  Peak." 
Ku,  large;  dtshi,  narrow  mountain).  The  name  is  derived  from  a 
mountain  near  by,  to  the  west.  In  Santa  Rosa  Valley.  This  is 
the  largest  summer  rancheria,  and  is  probably  also  to  a  certain 
extent  inhabited  in  the  winter.  The  fields  extend  nearly  two  miles 
in  either  direction. 

San  Xavier  del  Bac.  In  Papago,  Vdk,  which  means  "where  the  river 
reappears  in  the  sand,"  a  "sink"  of  the  river. 

Sauceda,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  according  to  information  from  Mr. 
F.  Wall,  called  Tshiulikami  ("Where  willow  grows."  Tshiuli, 
willow).  South  of  Gila  Bend  railroad  station  and  seventeen  miles 
east  north-east  of  Batamote  ranch.  This  is  the  main  rancheria  of 
the  north-western  part  of  the  Papagueria.  I  am  informed  by 
reliable  authority  that  there  are  fifty  to  seventy  houses  here.  In 
1 9 10,  on  account  of  want  of  water  for  the  cattle,  only  thirty  to 
forty  individuals  lived  here. 

Sepdnovak,  Rancheria.  "The  smell  of  the  coyote."  {Pan,  coyote.) 
Small  rancheria  in  a  narrow  valley  in  the  middle  part  of  the  Babo- 
quivari  Range. 

SiiJimoky  also  called  "Upper  Village,"  Rancheria.  "Burnt  Saddle" 
(Sill  (Spanish,  silla),  saddle;  mok,  burn).  In  Gila  Bend  Papago 
Reservation,  about  eighteen  miles  north  of  Gila  Bend.  In  1910 
it  had  fourteen  families,  immigrated  less  than  twenty  years  ago, 
from  Sauceda,  r. 

Sikulhimatk,  Summer  Rancheria.  "Water  going  around."  (Sikul, 
round.)  Five  miles  north  of  the  "Pumphouse,"  east  of  Horseshoe. 
The  water-shed  is  here,  between  water  flowing  into  the  Gila  River 
and  to  the  Altar  River. 

Susuta,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Shdsetak  ("Where  water  gathers"; 
shdtak,  water.)  Three  leagues  north-east  of  La  Nariz,  r.,  Sonora, 
Mexico.  In  the  winter  five  or  six  families  live  here.  The  water 
lasts  sometimes  for  a  year. 


APPENDIX  II 


385 


Tecolote,  Summer  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Tjilkutko  ("Owl's  Cry." 
Tjukut,  owl;  ko,  cry).  An  old  rancheria  fifteen  miles  west  south- 
west of  Indian  Oasis. 

Temporales,  without  name  yet.   Nineteen  miles  east  of  M akumivdoka,  r. 

Tesota,  also  called  "Second  Village,"  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Uupat- 
oitak  ("Cat-claw  Field."  Uupat,  the  tree  called  cat-claw,  in 
Spanish,  tesota;  oitak^  field  for  planting,  mil  pa).  In  the  Gila 
Bend  Papago  Reservation,  five  and  a  half  miles  east  of  Pelon,  r. 
It  consisted  in  1910  of  eight  families,  immigrated  from  Pozos 
Muchos,  r. 

Tjeavolitak,  Summer  Rancheria.  "Where  the  barrel  cactus  is." 
(Tjedvoli,  barrel  cactus;  in  Spanish,  hisnaga.)  Two  miles  from 
an  abandoned  ranch  called  Fresnal,  between  Maishe's  Well  and 
Indian  Oasis. 

Tjiuvak,  Rancheria.  "Where  something  rotted."  Five  miles  north 
of  Horseshoe. 

Tjotomvaxtaka,  Rancheria.  "Bear's  Well."  (Tjotom,  bear;  vdxia, 
well,  waterhole,  also  spring.)  In  the  Baboquivari  Range,  about 
eight  miles  south  of  Fresnal,  r. 

Tjuuliky  Summer  Rancheria.  "Corner."  On  the  plains,  south  south- 
west of  Fresnal,  r.,  six  miles  south  of  Komalik,  s. 

Tjuupo,  Rancheria.  "Rock  cavity  with  water."  Name  alludes  to 
some  cavity  in  the  rock  containing  water,  a  natural  tank;  Spanish, 
tinaja.  In  the  Quijotoa  Range,  perhaps  ten  miles  north  of 
Brown  ell. 

Toapit  or  ^Toapit,  Summer  Rancheria.     "White  Clay."    {Toa  or 

^Toa,  white;  pit,  clay.)    Twelve  miles  north  of  Jiquibo,  s.  Seven 

or  eight  families  come  here. 
Topahua,  Summer  Rancheria.    In  Papago,  Kdksumdk  ("Burnt  Dog." 

Koksy  dog;  mok,  burn).    Seven  miles  south  of  Indian  Oasis. 
Tdtobitk,  Summer  Rancheria.    "Crooked."    Ten  miles  from  Cacate,  s, 
Tshtovo,  Summer  Rancheria.    "Long  Pond."    (Tshi,  long;  vo,  pond.) 

Eight  miles  south-west  of  the  south  end  of  Quijotoa  Range. 
Tucson  City.    Originally  a  rancheria.    In  Papago,  ^Tjukson  ("At  the 

foot  of  the  black  hill."    ^Tjuk,  black;  son  or  shon,  at  the  foot  of). 

The  name  alludes  to  the  hill  nearest  to  the  Santa  Cruz  River,  and 

near  that  on  which  the  Desert  Botanical  Laboratory  is. 


386  APPENDIX  II 

V dmulif  Summer  Rancheria.  "  Basin  "  (low  place  where  water  gathers). 

It  is  near  Gitkivok,  r. 
Fdvemo,  Rancheria.    In  Papago,  "Mountain  with  Head."  (Fav^ 

mountain;  mo,  head.)    The  name  alludes  to  a  low  ridge  on  top 

of  which  is  a  rock.    Ten  or  twelve  miles  (four  leagues)  south  of 

Indian  Oasis.    Many  Indians  here. 
Fdvkux,R2Lncheri3..    "Projecting  Rock."    (Fav,  mount^Lm,  rock;  kux, 

standing,  prominent.)    In  the  northern  part  of  the  Baboquivari 

range;  three  miles  from  Hayes's  Well. 
Fopelohavooka,  Summer  Rancheria.    "Burro  Pond."    (Fopelo,  burro, 

donkey;   vo,  pond.)    Ha  has  no  special  meaning;   usually  it 

means  "there"  or  "what."    Eight  or  nine  miles  south-west  of 

Topahua,  s. 

WalVs  Well  or  Pozo  de  Federico,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Kdokatsh 
("mountain  crest").  Sixteen  miles  east  of  Bates's  Well,  right 
at  the  northern  point  of  Sierra  del  Ajo.  There  used  to  be  some 
mining  done  here,  which  has  been  abandoned,  a  few  Indians  from 
Barajita  afterward  settling  there  and  taking  possession  of  the  wells. 
Information  from  Mr.  Frederick  Wall,  who  discovered  and  named 
the  Growler  mine. 


PIMA  RANCHERIAS 

South  of  Casa  Grande  railroad  station,  on  the  Southern  Pacific,  are 
found  the  following  four  Pima  Rancherias,  inhabited  by  the  so-called 
Kohatk  people. 


Kohdtky  Pima  Rancheria.  "Depression."  (Literally:  "Where  a  hol- 
low has  been  made"  through  water  or  other  agency.)  It  is  situ- 
ated due  east  of  the  Vekol  mine,  and  nine  miles  north-west  of 
Kukdmaltk,  a  Papago  rancheria.    Elevation,  2,500  feet. 

Tatamumerikut,  Pima  Rancheria.  "Where  the  foot  had  run."  (Tat, 
foot;  mumeriy  run;  kuf,  where.)  It  is  four  miles  north  of  the  Jack 
Rabbit  mine,  is  very  old,  and  foot-racing  is  said  to  have  started 
here.  Foot-races,  accompanied  by  betting,  are  still  practised,  two 
or  four  men  running  together  at  one  time.  They  have  also  races 
called  witshuta^  where  a  ball  is  tossed  along,  similar  to  those  in  use 
among  the  Tarahumares  of  Chihuahua,  Mexico. 


APPENDIX  II 


387 


Tshuhutsho  or  Tjuitjo,  Pima  Rancheria.  "Caves."  Name  alludes  to 
some  natural  cavities  in  the  ground  (tshuhu,  cave)  nine  miles 
from  Casa  Grande  railroad  station  and  from  Vaivavo^  r. 

Vaivavoy  Pima  Rancheria.  "Cocklebur  Pond."  (Fdiva,  cocklebur; 
vo,  pond.)    Tw^elve  miles  north  of  Kohdtky  r. 


II. — SoNORA,  Mexico 

DISTRICT  OF  ALTAR 

Agua  Prieta,  Rancheria.    (See  Pozo  Prieto.) 

Jkimuri,  Rancheria.  "The  River."  The  present  site  of  the  Indian 
settlement  of  Sonoita,  the  Mexicans  having  occupied  the  lands 
where  the  Indians  originally  lived,  and  v^here  the  small  Sonoita 
River  sallies  forth.  It  is  about  one  mile  down  the  river  from  the 
Mexican  settlement  and  goes  under  the  name  of  El  Pueblo,  Con- 
siderable wheat  is  cultivated  by  irrigating  with  water  from  the  river, 
and  the  Indians,  the  number  of  whom  varies  according  to  season 
but  generally  may  be  seventy  to  eighty  or  more,  are  well-to-do. 
See  Sonoita. 

Akitaivuni,  Summer  Rancheria.  "Where  the  river  begins."  {Ak\ 
river,  arroyo;  vun,  begin.)  Situated  six  miles  east  of  Sonoita, 
where  there  were  several  swamps  before  the  river,  some  years  ago, 
broke  through  the  gravelly  accumulations.  Abandoned. 

Alamito,  Mexican  ranch,  formerly  Papago  rancheria.  In  Papago, 
Vdipia  ("Waterholes,"  "Springs").  Two  miles  north  of  the  town 
of  Trincheras.  There  is  an  old  church  here.  Miguel,  an  old 
Indian  of  Quitovac,  saw  Indians  living  here  seventy  years  ago. 

Alamo  Muerto,  Mexican  ranches,  formerly  Papago  rancheria.  In 
Papago,  Aupa  ("Cottonwood  Tree."  Plural  is  aupa).  Eight 
leagues  west  of  Caborca  and  four  leagues  north-east  of  Pozo 
Moreneno,  it  is  situated  on  the  Altar  River,  on  the  llano;  the 
ranches  are  about  north  of  the  Sierra  del  Alamo,  which  is  near  by, 
and  three  leagues  west  of  Bisani. 

Altar.  Town  on  the  Altar  River,  formerly  rancheria.  In  Papago, 
Vdvuk  ("Where  there  is  a  mountain."  Vav,  mountain,  or  rocky 
place).  Three  families  live  in  the  outskirts,  making  a  living  by 
working  for  Mexicans. 


388 


APPENDIX  II 


Arlvaipa,  Mexican  ranch,  formerly  Papago  rancheria.  In  Papago, 
Alivaipia  ("Small  Springs"  or  "Small  Waterholes."  Ali,  small, 
child;  vdipia  is  plural  of  vdxia,  well,  waterhole,  spring).  Eight 
miles  south-east  of  Garambullo  ranch.  The  Papagoes  used  to 
have  fields  here.  The  old  men  died  and  the  young  men  went 
to  Arizona. 

Arivaipa.  Papago  camp,  abandoned;  formerly  of  importance.  It 
is  about  thirty-five  miles  east  of  Puerto  de  Libertad,  fifteen  miles 
from  the  coast.  This  marks  the  southern  limit  of  the  Papago 
tribes'  extension.  A  reliable  old  Indian,  Miguel  of  Quitovac, 
knows  this  place,  of  which  Mr.  M.  Taylor,  formerly  superintendent 
of  the  Yaqui  mine,  gave  me  the  following  description:  "A  large 
mezquite  tree  is  growing  on  the  south  side  of  the  arroyo.  Here  the 
Papagoes  from  Pozos  de  San  Ignacio  used  to  camp  before  being 
dispossessed  by  the  rurales.  East  of  this  tree,  on  the  bank  of  the 
arroyo,  is  another  mezquite  overhanging  the  arroyo;  one  of  the 
limbs  has  been  cut  off.  Directly  under  that  cut  one  should  dig 
for  water  which  will  be  found  eight  to  ten  feet  deep  in  the  sand; 
it  stands  in  caliche,  into  which  a  two-foot  deep  hole  has  been 
made."  According  to  the  same  informant,  there  is  a  Seri  well, 
"Coyote,"  on  the  same  arroyo,  six  miles  from  the  coast.  The 
main  camp  of  the  Seri  Indians,  perhaps  now  numbering  two  hun- 
dred in  all,  is  said  to  be  at  no  great  distance  from  there. 

Arivaipa.  This  name  also  appears  on  the  upper  Gila  River,  near 
the  San  Carlos  Reservation.  Formerly  the  Apaches  used  to  be  there. 

Atil,  Mexican  Pueblo,  formerly  rancheria.  In  Papago,  Atshi  ("Narrow 
Mountain").  Six  leagues  from  pueblo  Oquitoa  on  the  Altar  River. 

Bajio  de  Evaristo,  Summer  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Htashpik 
("Buried").  According  to  tradition,  a  beautiful  Papago  woman 
was  buried  here.  It  is  situated  in  the  fertile,  long,  broad  valley 
leading  west  to  Sonoita.    About  fifteen  families  live  here. 

Banori,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Vdnolik  ("Curve").  Seven  miles  east 
of  Mexican  rancheria  Bajio  del  Alcalde,  which  hauls  water  from 
there.  It  is  not  far  from  the  other  Banori,  both  of  them  located 
near  the  boundary. 

Banori^  Mexican  ranch,  formerly  Papago  rancheria.  Two  miles  west  of 
Cobota.    It  is  probably  the  ranch  which  formerly  was  called  Pozo 


APPENDIX  II 


389 


de  Luis.  Two  Papago  families  keep  animals  there  by  permission 
of  the  Mexican  owner,  J.  Celaya. 

Bisant,  Hacienda.  Formerly  rancheria.  In  Papago,  Viisin  ("Small, 
deep  arroyo").  Sixteen  miles  west  south-west  of  Caborca.  The 
extensive  and  fertile  lands  have  been  made  into  a  Mexican  hacienda 
for  wheat  raising.  Fourteen  or  fifteen  families  live  here  who  are 
dependent  on  the  hacienda  for  work.  Ruins  of  an  old  Jesuit 
church  are  existent. 

Caborca.  Town  on  the  Altar  River,  formerly  rancheria.  In  Papago, 
Kdvortk  ("Rounded  Hill").  Seven  families  live  in  the  outskirts, 
two  of  them  possessing  and  cultivating  milpas  (garden  fields),  the 
rest  being  laborers  for  Mexicans. 

Cacate,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Kdka  ("Clearing").  On  the  south- 
western side  of  Sierra  de  Santa  Rosa  (east  of  Sonoita).  Aban- 
doned fifteen  years  ago. 

Carrictto,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Vapktjuutshk  ("Where  the  reeds 
stand."  Fapk,  reed;  tjuutshk,  upright,  standing).  Near  Rancho 
de  Macias,  toward  the  boundary  line.  Nine  families;  the  men 
seek  work  in  the  Campana  gold  mine. 

Charco  de  Chavarria,  Summer  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Kdvoit 
("Badger's  Field."  Kav,  badger;  dttak,  field,  milpa).  Four  leagues 
east  of  Sonoita.  Papagoes  used  to  live  here  formerly,  and  in  the 
last  four  years  a  couple  of  families  are  again  occupying  the  country. 

Charco  de  la  Mujer,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Ofviavdoka  ("Woman's 
Pond."  0/^'z,  woman;  i;o,  pond).  Two  leagues  north  north-east 
of  La  Nariz,  r.  People  from  La  Nariz  visit  it  for  the  sake  of  ob- 
taining water  for  the  cattle.    Otherwise  it  appears  abandoned. 

Chujubabi,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Tshuhuvaxia  ("Cave  Well." 
Tshuhuf  cave;  vdxia,  well,  waterhole,  also  spring).  Four  leagues 
south-east  of  Quitovac.    It  is  inhabited  by  three  or  four  families. 

Cobota,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Kdvortk  ("Hollow  in  the  ground"). 
It  is  on  the  west  side  of  the  peak  of  Cobota,  about  eight  miles 
south-east  of  Cerro  de  la  Lesna,  and  four  miles  south  of  the  boun- 
dary. Ten  families  live  here.  When  the  water  is  consumed  they 
go  to  Tecolote,  j.,  Arizona,  where  they  have  fields. 

Comobabi,  Rancheria.  For  interpretation  see  Comobabi,  Arizona.  It  is  six 
leagues  east  south-east  of  Cobota.    More  than  ten  families  live  here. 


390 


APPENDIX  II 


Coyote,  Summer  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Panvaxia  ("Coyote  Well." 
Pan,  coyote;  vdxia,  well,  waterhole,  also  spring).  A  small 
rancheria,  north  of  Tajitos  mine  (about  twenty-five  miles  north  of 
Caborca).    Water  is  procured  by  digging  holes  in  the  river  bed. 

Cubabi,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Kovaxia  ("Hidden  Well."  Ko, 
cover;  vdxta,  well,  waterhole,  also  spring).  Near  the  Sierra  de 
Cobota,  four  leagues  north  of  Plomo,  mining  town.  Eight  to  ten 
families. 

Cubo,  Mexican  ranches,  formerly  Papago  rancheria.  In  Papago, 
Kuvo  ("Big  Pond."  Ku,  big;  vo,  pond).  Thirty  miles  north  of 
Caborca. 

Cumaroy  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  probably,  Komvaxia  {Kom,  tree  with 
red  berries,  called  by  the  Mexicans  cumaro  ;  vaxia,  well,  waterhole, 
also  spring).  About  eight  leagues  west  of  Sasabe  custom-house 
and  two  leagues  from  the  boundary.  Four  or  five  families  live  here. 

El  Durasno,  Rancheria,  abandoned  some  time  ago.  Situated  north  of 
the  mountain  of  the  same  name  (north  of  Carricito,  r.),  at  the  foot 
of  it.  Water  was  brought  from  some  pools  in  the  mountain. 
Sons  of  those  who  lived  there  are  still  alive. 

El  Picu,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Ookobonjih}  ("Tears."  Ook,  tears; 
bonjik^  is  euphonistic,  and  does  not  mean  anything  by  itself). 
Water  comes  up  very  sparingly,  hence  the  name.  It  is  about 
forty-five  miles  south  south-west  of  Caborca  and  eight  leagues 
west  of  Pozos  de  San  Ignacio.  Has  been  uninhabited  for  more 
than  thirty  years,  though  some  Indians  from  Pozos  de  San  Ignacio 
had  a  ranch  here. 

El  Tren.  Abandoned  mining  village,  formerly  Papago  rancheria,  called, 
in  Papago,  Ltima  ("Whetting  Stone."  In  another  version  the  name 
Lin  is  a  corruption  of  Trinidad  and  means  nothing).  Near  Zoni. 
Placer  mines  were  formerly  worked  here. 

Ktkimikux,  Summer  Rancheria.  "House  Standing."  (Kt,  house; 
kux,  standing,  prominent.)  It  is  less  than  one  league  east  of 
Cumaro,  r.,    There  are  ten  families  living  here. 

La  Espuma,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Tdtshaki  ("Foam."  Water 
makes  foam  in  the  hole  when  being  excavated  in  the  sand.  Good 
water  to  drink).  In  the  Sierra  de  la  Espuma,  south  of  La  Nariz. 
It  is  inhabited  only  in  the  winter. 


APPENDIX  II 


391 


La  Nariz^  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Tdak  ("Nose").  It  is  situated  at 
the  foot  of  the  south-eastern  promontory  of  the  Sierra  de  la  Nariz. 
Its  profile  resembles  a  nose,  hence  its  name.  In  the  winter  usually 
fifteen  families  live  here.  At  the  time  of  my  visit  in  November 
there  were  five  families;  some  were  absent  in  Represa  de  Enrique, 
others  were  working  for  the  Americans  (agriculture)  in  Arizona. 
There  is  a  dam  here  made  by  Mexicans,  American  citizens,  who 
are  trying  to  drive  the  Indians  away. 

Lesna  Vieja,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Kuktjuitakkux  ("Palo  Verde 
Standing."  Kuktjuitak,  palo  verde;  kux^  standing,  prominent). 
It  is  about  three  leagues  north-east  of  Bajio  de  Evaristo,  in  the 
north-western  part  of  the  District  of  Altar,  at  the  edge  of  the 
basin.  Abandoned  about  twelve  years  ago.  Ruins  of  huts  and 
a  broken  dam  can  still  be  seen. 

Llano  de  Juan  Ramon^  Summer  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Kdkaulivo 
(Kdkaulty  a  bush  called  in  Spanish  garambullo ;  voy  pond.  "Pond 
among  garambullo  Bushes").  It  is  one  league  south-east  of 
Garambullo  ranch.    Has  been  abandoned  probably  fifty  years. 

Onaky  Rancheria.  Pronounced  Sdnak  in  Bisani  ("Where  there  is  salt." 
Ouy  salt).  Twelve  leagues  south-west  of  Caborca;  three  leagues 
west  of  Pozo  Prieto  (abandoned  r.).  Abandoned  in  the  present 
generation.  Mexicans  had  here  formerly  gold  and  silver  mining 
by  arrastras. 

Oquitoa,  Mexican  Pueblo,  formerly  rancheria.  In  Papago,  Hdkito 
("Boundary  Limit").  Two  leagues  north-east  of  Altar,  on  the 
Altar  River. 

PitiquitOy  Town  on  the  Altar  River,  formerly  a  rancheria.  In  Papago, 
Ptttskiny  "Gone  to  Nothing."  The  name  alludes  to  the  annihila- 
tion of  both  parties  to  a  combat  which  is  said  to  have  taken  place 
on  a  mountain  near  the  present  town.  On  account  of  the  per- 
manency of  water  in  this  part  of  the  river  and  the  fertility  of  the 
plain,  this  locality  is  to-day  of  agricultural  importance.  There  are 
four  Papago  families  here,  who  work  for  the  Mexicans. 

Pozo  Grandey  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Kuvaxia  ("Big  Well."  Kuy 
big,  large;  vaxia,  well,  waterhole,  spring).  It  is  near  the  south- 
western point  of  Cerro  del  Viejo,  ten  leagues  south  of  Caborca. 
Has  been  uninhabited  for  fifty  to  sixty  years. 


392 


APPENDIX  II 


Pozo  Moreneno,  Rancheria,  abandoned.  Near  the  southern  part  of 
Sierra  del  Alamo.  Twelve  leagues  south-west  of  Caborca,  three 
leagues  from  Pozo  Prieto  (abandoned  r.). 

Pozo  Prieto  or  Agua  Prteta,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  ^Tjukshootak 
("Black  Water."  ^Tjuk,  black;  shootak,  water).  Near  the  foot- 
hills of  Sierra  del  Viejo,  two  leagues  from  Pozo  Grande.  Papagoes 
from  Bisani  visit  it  every  year,  but  it  is  more  or  less  abandoned. 

Pozo  Verde,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Tjuitakvaxia  ("Green  Well." 
Tjuitak,  green  (also  stjuitak);  vdxia,  well,  waterhole,  spring). 
The  name  is  derived  from  a  fine  spring  at  the  foot  of  the  Babo- 
quivari  Range,  about  a  mile  south  of  the  boundary  line,  and  a 
few  miles  west  of  Sasabe  custom-house.  The  largest  rancheria  in 
Sonora.  Twenty-five  to  thirty  families  are  said  to  live  here. 
There  is  a  general  here  in  charge  of  all  the  Papagoes  of  Sonora. 
The  place  is  of  importance  in  the  mythology  of  the  tribe. 

Pozos  de  San  Ignacio,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Tootavaipia  ("White 
Waterholes."  Tda  or  ^Tda,  white ;  vdtpia,  plural  of  vaxia, 
waterhole,  spring).  The  earth  is  white  here,  probably  on  ac- 
count of  the  presence  of  caliche.  It  is  about  twenty  leagues  south 
of  Caborca.  This  rancheria  was  given  up  in  1907  after  a  brave 
fight  with  the  rurales  (Mexican  police),  of  whom  eighteen  were 
killed,  nearly  all  the  Indians  escaping  with  their  belongings  into 
Arizona.  Many  families  were  living  here,  sixteen  persons  being 
full-grown  men. 

Quelele  Quemado,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Kusitmohitatsh  ("Burnt 
Carrion  Hawk."  Kusit,  carrion  hawk,  with  a  yellowish  throat). 
One  to  two  leagues  north  of  Lesna  Vieja,  r.  Abandoned  long 
ago. 

Quitovac,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Fapk  or  Vdketa,  "Reeds"  {Vapk  is 
the  name  for  reeds;  they  here  grow  in  a  swamp,  produced  by  flow 
from  the  springs).  An  important  place  in  the  life  of  the  tribe. 
Several  fine  springs  at  one  locality  furnish  abundant  water.  There 
was  once  mining  activity  here.  At  present  only  the  Indians  occa- 
sionally "dry  wash"  the  placer  mines.  Two  or  three  Mexican 
families  live  here  and  there  is  a  store.  The  Indians  are  fairly 
well-to-do,  and  in  the  winter  as  many  as  fifteen  families  may  be 
found  at  Quitovac. 


APPENDIX  II 


393 


Represa  de  Enrique,  Summer  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Njuoport 
(**Nighthawk").  It  is  situated  in  the  fertile,  long,  broad  valley- 
leading  west  to  Sonoita.  Seven  families  have  cattle  here  and  own 
a  large  pond.    They  come  from  La  Espuma,  r. 

San  Pedro,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Somuok  ("Peak").  One  league 
south-west  of  Coyote,  r.    Four  families  live  here. 

Santo  Domingo,  Hacienda,  formerly  Papago  rancheria.  In  Papago, 
Tjutshpa,  "Pounding  Stone."  {Tjutshpa,  a  rude  stone  vessel  in 
which  mezquite  beans,  mescal,  etc.,  are  pounded  with  a  stone  pestle; 
sometimes  a  hollow  is  made  in  the  rock  for  the  same  purpose.) 
Seven  miles  west  of  Sonoita  on  the  Sonoita  River.  A  large  tract 
of  land  was  cultivated  here  by  Mexicans,  through  irrigation  from 
Sonoita  River,  but  it  has  been  abandoned  for  several  years.  No 
Indians  live  here  any  more. 

Sartc,  Mexican  Pueblo,  formerly  rancheria.  In  Papago,  Shdarik 
("Pass."  Spanish,  puerta).  Five  leagues  from  Pueblo  Tubu- 
tama  on  the  Altar  River,  near  the  boundary  of  the  District  of 
Magdalena.    Some  Papagoes  live  here. 

Sasahe,  Mexican  custom-house,  formerly  a  rancheria.  In  Papago, 
Shdshovuk  ("Echo"). 

Sonoita,  Rancheria.  In  Papago,  Kavortkson  ("At  the  foot  of  the 
rounded  hill."  Kdvortk,  rounded  hill;  son,  in  Sonoita  pronounced 
shon,  at  the  foot  of,  base).  Sometimes  the  place  is  designated  in 
an  abbreviated  manner  as  shon  only,  from  which  possibly  the 
Spanish  name  Sonoita  is  derived.  The  oasis  was  originally  called 
Sonoitag  or  Sonoidac.  In  the  reprint  of  Ortega's  "Apostolicas 
Afanes,"  Mexico,  1887,  the  name  Sonoidag  is  attributed  to  the 
Indians.  Speaking  of  Father  Kino's  journey  in  1699,  the  nar- 
rator says:  "They  gave  the  name  San  Marcelo  to  a  place  which 
the  natives  call  Sonoidag,  a  very  favorable  locality  on  account  of 
its  lands,  pasture,  and  abundant  water"  (libro  2,  cap.  7,  p.  340). 
The  rancheria  used  to  be  near  the  beginning  of  the  river,  but  the 
Indians  have  gradually  been  driven  by  the  Mexicans  lower  down, 
occupying  now  a  site  one  mile  from  the  Mexican  village  of  Sonoita. 
{See  Akimuri.) 

Suvuk,  Summer  Rancheria.  "Red."  (See  under  "Camps  of  the  Sand 
Papagoes  or  Arenenos.") 


39+ 


APPENDIX  II 


Tubutama,  Mexican  Pueblo,  formerly  rancheria.  In  Papago, 
TjiXvutam  (*'High  Up").  Three  leagues  from  Mexican  pueblo 
Atil  on  the  Altar  River. 

Zow/,  Mexican  ranch,  formerly  Papago  rancheria.  In  Papago,  Shdne- 
kam  ("Spring  that  never  dries  up").  Six  miles  from  Rancho 
de  Macias  in  north-v^^estern  part  of  the  District  of  Altar.  The 
Campana  mine  pumps  water  from  here.  Formerly  there  was 
placer  mining  here. 

CAMPS  OF  THE   SAND  PAPAGOES  OR  ARENENOS 

These  Papagoes  formerly  occupied  the  sandy  country  along  the 
upper  part  of  the  Gulf  of  California,  reaching  from  the  lower  Colorado 
River  eastward  as  far  as  Santo  Domingo,  near  Sonoita,  and  north- 
ward to  Gila  Range  and  Cabeza  Prieta  Range.  Their  head-quarters 
was  the  Pinacate  region. 

Agua  Dulce,  Camp.  In  Papago,  Ikuskaatsh  {Ikus,  piece  of  clothing; 
Spanish,  trapo).  West  south-west  of  Quitovaquita,  at  a  place 
where  the  river  water  appears  again.  A  ranch  was  established 
here  by  a  Mexican,  but  was  later  abandoned.  Both  here  and  at 
Agua  Salada,  three  miles  lower  down,  the  Papagoes  used  to  come 
in  great  numbers  to  hunt  or  to  gather  sahuaro,  but  no  agriculture 
was  ever  undertaken. 

Agua  Salada  or  La  Salada,  Camp.  In  Papago,  Onokshdotak  ("Salt 
Water."  Ono,  salt;  shdotak,  water).  Name  of  a  certain  part  of 
the  Sonoita  River  bed,  south  south-west  of  Quitovaquita.  One 
and  one-half  miles  further  down  is  Los  Pozitos,  the  name  being 
derived  from  small  wells  that  travellers  make  in  the  sand  of  the 
river-bed,  to  get  water.  Drinkable  water  may  be  procured  in  the 
same  way  at  Agua  Salada. 

Hdtunikaty  Camp.  "Sunset,"  "West."  South  of  Pinacate,  four  miles 
west  of  Tinaja  de  los  Chivos.  This  was  the  head-quarters  of  the 
sand  people  and,  to  employ  a  Mexican  usage,  may  be  termed  a 
rancheria.  Drinking  water  was  brought  from  Los  Chivos.  An 
annual  festival — dancing  and  singing — was  given  to  procure  rain 
and  "make  the  grass  grow."    See  page  228. 


APPENDIX  II 


395 


La  Choya,  Camp.  In  Papago,  H anammetjurtivaxia  (Hdnam,  choya, 
a  very  spiny  cactus  of  the  opuntia  genus  which  grows  in  abundance 
here;  metjurti  was  interpreted  to  me  as  indicating  "in,"  "near'*; 
vdxia,  well,  waterhole,  spring).  South  of  Pinacate.  This  camp  is 
a  few  yards  from  the  beach,  and  fresh  water  is  found  in  a  hole  that 
has  been  dug  ten  feet  deep. 

Laguna  Prieta,  Camp.  In  Papago,  Fapk  ("Reeds").  A  salt  lagoon 
west  of  Gila  Range  (Sierra  de  las  Tinajas  Altas).  Abundance  of 
fresh  water  found  among  the  bulrushes  on  the  marshy  shore. 

La  Soda,  Camp.  In  Papago,  Tjutjaka.  South  of  Pinacate.  This  is 
a  deposit  of  soda,  ten  miles  east  of  Salina  del  Pinacate,  and  three 
miles  from  the  sea.  Fresh  water  is  found  by  digging  on  the  shore, 
as  well  as  three  miles  west  at  a  locality  called  Tule. 

Pozo  del  Caballoy  Camp.  In  Papago,  Hiatitvdxia  ("Well  of  the  Sand 
Dunes."  Hia,  Hiati,  ov  Htatit,  sand  dunes,  sand;  vdxia,  well,  a 
hole  dug  to  reach  water,  also  spring).  This  locality  is  about  half- 
way between  Salina  del  Pinacate  and  Salina  Grande.  It  is  a  dif- 
ficult place  to  find,  near  some  high  sand  dunes  west  of  Estero  del 
Tule. 

Salina  del  Pinacate,  Camp.  In  Papago,  Ono  or  On  ("Salt").  Also 
called  Kavonoka  ("Badger's  Salt."  Kav,  badger).  A  small  de- 
posit of  salt  in  a  slough  three  miles  from  the  coast,  south-west  of 
the  Pinacate  region.  This  is  the  principal  place  from  which  the 
Papagoes  gather  salt.  Fresh  water  is  found  by  digging  on  the 
shore. 

Salina  Grande,  Camp.  In  Papago,  Murtegshdotak  ("Running  Water." 
Murtegy  running;  shdotak,  water).  A  large  salt  deposit  forty  miles 
east  of  the  mouth  of  Colorado  River,  three  miles  from  the  coast. 
On  the  flat,  north-western  shore  are  sixteen  fresh-water  springs. 

Sierra  Blanca,  Camps.  In  Papago,  Tdakomalik  ("White  Mountain." 
Toa  or  ^Tda,  white;  kdmalik,  mountain  crest).  A  sierra  south  of 
Pinacate.  A  small  water  tank  lasting  three  months  is  found  near 
the  north-east  point  on  the  east  side,  but  the  Indians  had  several 
camps,  especially  on  the  south  side  of  the  range. 

Sierra  del  Rosario,  Camps.  In  Papago,  Hiatikomalik  ("Mountain 
Crest  in  the  Sand."  Hiati  (also  Hia  or  Htatit),  sand;  kdmalik, 
mountaip  crest).    A  mountain  range  among  the  sand  dunes 


396 


APPENDIX  11 


south  of  Gila  Range  (Sierra  de  las  Tinajas  Altas).  Though  far 
from  water,  there  are  many  evidences  of  camping  places  here. 
Suvuky  Summer  Rancheria.  "Red."  A  hill  near  by  has  the  same 
name.  In  the  Pinacate  region,  five  miles  south-east  of  Tinajas  de 
Emilia.  There  was  some  agriculture  here,  among  the  lava  ridges. 
People  came  from  Batamote  to  cultivate  brown  beans,  white  beans 
(tepart),  maize,  and  squashes  on  a  small  scale.  It  is  doubtful 
whether  these  can  be  considered  sand  people,  probably  not. 
Nearer  the  coast  no  attempt  at  agriculture  was  ever  made. 
There  is  a  tinaja  near  by  called  tjuumikux  ("Where  the  pitahaya 
stands."  Tjiimi,  a  kind  of  pitahaya  cactus;  kux,  standing,  promi- 
nent). 

Tinajas  Altas,  Camp.  In  Papago,  Oovak  ("Where  arrows  were  shot." 
Oo,  arrow).  The  name  originates  from  a  legend  about  two  Indians 
who  shot  arrows  from  either  side  of  the  ridge.  One  did  shoot 
across.  Where  the  arrows  of  the  other  fell  short  the  pools  ap- 
peared. These  well-known  tinajas,  eight  in  number,  are  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  Gila  Range  (Sierra  de  las  Tinajas  Altas)  that 
stretches  from  the  neighborhood  of  Yuma  south-east.  It  is  on 
the  old  track  from  Caborca,  over  Sonoita,  to  Yuma. 

Tinaja  de  los  Chivos,  Camp.  In  Papago,  Hotunikat  ("Sunset," 
"West").  The  Spanish  name  is  the  vulgar  expression  chivos 
(goats)  for  mountain-sheep.  In  the  south-western  part  of  Pina- 
cate. An  important  camp.  There  is  a  track  leading  from  here 
to  the  former  main  camp  of  the  sand  people,  called  by  the  same 
name,  Hotunikat.  Another  track  leads  over  the  mountains  to 
Tinajas  de  Emilia. 

Tinaja  de  los  Papagos,  Camp.  In  Papago,  Hitjuupo  ("Urine  Pool." 
Hiy  urine;  tjuupo,  natural  tank,  water  in  rock  cavity;  Spanish, 
tinaja).  The  name  alludes  to  imaginary  spoliation  by  the  de- 
parted. In  the  north-western  part  of  Pinacate.  In  years  of  ordi- 
nary rainfall  the  three  tinajas  here  furnish  water  all  the  year 
round.    An  important  camp. 

Tinaja  del  Cuervo,  Camp.  In  Fap^Lgo,  Havanikosh  ("Raven's  Nest." 
Hdvani,  Raven  (corvus  cryptoleucus);  kosh,  nest).  In  the  south- 
western part  of  Pinacate.  This  is  a  regular  camp  of  the  salt 
expeditions.    Water  can  nearly  always  be  depended  upon  here. 


APPENDIX  II 


397 


Tinajas  de  Emilia.  In  Papago,  Moitjutjupo  ("Many  Pools."  Mo/, 
many;  tjuupo,  water  in  natural  cavity  of  the  rock,  natural  tank;  in 
Spanish,  tinaja).  An  important  camp  on  the  slope  of  Pinacate, 
south-east  of  Los  Picos  del  Pinacate,  in  a  straight  line  hardly 
two  miles  from  the  top.  There  are  four  large,  natural  tanks  here, 
one  of  them  fairly  easy  of  access.  In  years  of  ordinary  rainfall 
the  water  lasts  here  all  the  year  round. 

Tinajas  de  la  Cabeza  Prieta,  Camp.  In  Papago,  jukomokamtjuupo 
("Black  Head  Pools."  ^T^ywA,  black;  mo,  head;  tjiiupOy  water  in 
natural  cavity  of  the  rock,  natural  tank;  in  Spanish,  tinaja).  The 
Cabeza  Prieta  Range  is  east  of  Gila  Range  (Sierra  de  las  Tinajas 
Altas).  In  the  middle  part,  on  the  east  side,  is  found  a  number 
of  tinajasy  one  above  the  other,  in  a  narrow  gorge  at  the  foot  of 
the  tallest  top,  from  which  the  range  derives  its  name.  This  must 
have  been  an  important  camp  of  the  sand  people,  and  certain  old, 
crude  stone  heaps  are  found  at  the  entrance  to  the  gorge.  (See 
P^g^  324-) 

Tinaja  del  Tule,  Camp.  In  Papago,  Otoxakam  ("Where  there  is 
Bulrush."  Otoxak,  bulrush  (typha  lati folia);  in  Spanish,  tule). 
A  well-known  pool  on  the  old  trail  from  Caborca,  over  Sonoita, 
to  Yuma,  one  day's  journey  east  of  Tinajas  Altas. 

Tornillal,  Camp.  The  name  in  Papago  is  slightly  doubtful,  but  is 
probably  Totshakshdotaki  ("Foam  on  the  Water."  Totshak, 
foam;  shdotak,  water).  Twenty-five  miles  from  the  mouth  of 
Colorado  River,  fourteen  miles  west  of  Salina  Grande,  on  the 
coast,  one-quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  beach.  Screwbean  trees  (in 
Spanish,  tornillo)  grow  here,  hence  the  name  given  to  the  locality 
by  my  guide.    Water  has  to  be  dug  for,  and  is  brackish  and  bitter. 


APPENDIX  III 


GEOLOGICAL  SKETCH  OF  THE  PAPAGUERIA 

BY  CYRUS  F.  TOLMAN,  PROFESSOR  IN  MINING  AND  GEOLOGY,  UNIVER- 
SITY OF  ARIZONA 

The  two  groups  of  formations  most  extensively  developed  in  the 
Papagueria  belong  respectively  to  the  most  ancient  of  rocks  and  to  those 
formed  during  geologically  recent  times — to  the  pre-Cambrian  com- 
plex on  the  one  hand  and  to  the  Tertiary-Quaternary  group  on  the 
other.  This  great  area  has  been  studied  only  in  spots  by  geologists, 
and  therefore  detailed  knov^ledge  of  the  formations  is  lacking,  and 
they  have  not  been  matched  up  with  those  of  other  and  better  known 
portions  of  the  country.  As  far  as  present  knowledge  goes,  the  older 
group  consists  of  gneisses,  schists,  slates,  crystalline  limestones,  and 
coarse  grained  granites — the  granites  and  granite-gneisses  being  most 
abundantly  developed  in  the  south-western  portion.  The  group  of 
younger  rocks  is  made  up  chiefly  of  extrusives;  volcanics  represented 
by  andesites,  rhyolites,  rhyolite-tufFs,  and  basalts.  These  are  men- 
tioned in  the  order  of  eruption  as  shown  in  the  majority  of  localities. 
The  most  recent  of  the  basalts,  the  extrusion  of  some  of  which  may 
have  continued  into  historic  times,  form  in  cases  perfect  volcanic  cones, 
but  the  older  lavas  and  most  of  the  basalts  appear  as  remnants  of 
flows  in  fault  blocks,  or  better  as  fault  strips,  these  upturned  blocks 
and  strips  forming  many  of  the  volcanic  ranges. 

Less  widely  distributed  than  the  two  groups  mentioned  above,  but 
important  throughout  the  Arizona  Copper  Fields  as  ore  carriers,  are 
the  Paleozoic  Series  of  limestones  and  quartzites.  These  are  found  in 
the  Papagueria  in  the  eastern  and  southern  ranges;  for  instance,  in  the 
Tucson  Mountains,  the  Silverbell  Mountains,  the  Sierrita  Mountains,  in 
the  Vekol  Mountains,  in  the  Caborca  Mountains,  etc.  In  the  southern 
Papagueria  (Altar  District)  a  Mesozoic  age  is  suspected  for  the  thin 
bedded  limestones  abundant  in  this  area,  but  as  far  as  known  to  the 

398 


APPENDIX  III 


author  the  fossil  collections  necessary  to  determine  this  definitely  have 
not  as  yet  been  made.  Intrusive  granites  and  porphyries,  in  general 
somewhat  earlier  than  the  flov^s,  intrude  all  the  earlier  formations,  and 
are  responsible  for  most  of  the  ore  deposits  of  the  region. 

Of  the  many  interesting  physiographic  features  of  this  area,  the 
most  striking  is  the  commonly  developed  knife  edge  form  of  the  moun- 
tains which  protrude  above,  and  are  partly  buried  by,  the  detritus  of 
the  valleys.  These  mountain  stumps  are  always  chiselled  into  precip- 
itous slopes  by  wind  and  torrential  action.  The  valley  fill  is  largely 
subaerial,  deposited  by  the  withering  torrents  from  the  mountains, 
which  rarely  if  ever  reach  the  gulf,  or  brought  up  by  the  wind  from  the 
present  and  ancient  strands  of  the  gulf,  and  built  into  the  extensive 
"medanos"  described  by  Mr.  Lumholtz.  Only  temporary  incursions 
of  the  gulf  up  the  valleys,  in  Miocene  and  later  times,  are  suggested 
by  the  fossils  collected  by  Mr.  Lumholtz  and  others,  and  by  the  nu- 
merous abandoned  shore  lines  of  the  Salton  Sea  to  the  west. 

The  climate  of  this  region  has  undoubtedly  been  dominantly  arid 
during  recent  geological  times  (late  Tertiary,  Quaternary,  and  Recent 
Periods),  as  shown  by  the  physiography  of  the  country,  the  make-up 
of  the  desert  fill,  etc.  Brief  respites,  however,  due  to  increasing  hu- 
midity, are  suggested  by  numerous  "dry  lakes,"  at  times  filled  with 
water,  and  more  recent  changes  by  the  deserted  Indian  villages,  far 
from  any  known  surface  water  supply. 


INDEX 


Aalihihiani,    children's  cemetery, 

99-106. 
Abras,  17. 

Ahronia  umbellata,  313. 
Adofi,  345. 

Adonde,  near  Wellton,  ''Sand-peo- 
ple" at,  332. 

Afterglow  of  the  sun,  158. 

Agave  americana,  4. 

Agriculture.  See  under  names  of  coun- 
tries, places,  peoples;  e.g.,  Papagoes, 
agriculture. 

Agua  Dulce  camp,  196,  199-200, 
286. 

Agua  Salada,  161,  200,  245,  281. 

Agustin,  Papago  Indian,  his  silver 
mine,  291,  329. 

Ajo,  81,  336. 

Ajo  Mountains,  31,  162. 

Aktjin  rancheria,  127,  129,  355; 
foot-races  at,  75;  singers  from,  96. 

Alamo,  287. 

Algadones,  251. 

Algansea  tincella,  174. 

Aloitak,  singers  from,  96. 

Altar,  District  of,  83,  184,  264;  min- 
ing, 182;  order  and  government  in, 
177;  prevalence  of  hydrophobia  in, 
184;  rancherias,  alphabetical  list 
of,  387-394;  water  supply,  264. 

Altar  River,  16,  17,  18,  143,  146- 
147;  village  sites  on,  335. 

Altar,  Sonora,  31,  134,  135,  177,  200, 
258,  261,  334;  description  of  town, 
144-145;  ports  near,  142. 

Alvina,  Papago  chief,  61-62,  79,  80, 
82. 

Ammombroma  sonorcz,  319,  330. 
A  mole,  34. 

Amphorbia  polycarpa,  336. 


Ancient  remains,  337,  340-343.  See 

also  Antiquities. 
Anekam   rancheria,   69,    108,  355; 

singers  from,  96;  tattooing  at,  no. 

Anemonopsis  calif ornica,  264. 
Animals.     See  fauna  under  names  of 

countries  and  places;  e.  g.,  Mexico, 

fauna. 

Animals  subsisting  without  water, 
153.    See  also  Water  supply. 

Antigonon  leptopus,  135. 

Antilocapra  americana  mexicana,  284. 

Antiquities,  143,  179-180,  335,  340- 
342.  See  also  Ancient  remains; 
Fortifications. 

Ants.  See  under  names  of  countries 
and  places,  also  202,  335. 

Apaches,  24,  26,  29,  239,  291;  bas- 
ketry, 353;  lights  with  other  Ind- 
ian tribes,  74,  359-3^2. 

Apache  Tontos,  250,  252. 

Arenenos,  228,  231,  291,  299,  316, 
329-332;  camps  of,  alphabetical 
list,  394-397- 

Argemone  intermedia,  283. 

Arituaba  range,  Indian  fortifications 
in,  142. 

Arizona,  ancient  artifacts  and  forti- 
fications in,  9,  41,  142,  143,  341- 
342;  ants,  116;  birds,  13-14; 
Black  Hills  of,  9;  booms,  82; 
climate,  5,  18,  3 2-3 3 »  3 8,  67-68, 
74,  78,  79,  109,  ii4-iiS>  343; 
fauna,  21-23,  71-72;  80,  112,  116; 
flora,  4,  10,  12,  14,  15,  19-21,34, 
37.  38.  45  72,  78,  80,  81,  100, 
130-13 1 ;  Indian  reservations,  6-9, 
337,  338-340;  Indians,  9-10,  14- 
15,  16  ff.,  332;  Indian  wars,  74; 
irrigation,  338;  mineral  wealth,  17; 


402 


INDEX 


mining,  82,  83,  290;  progress  of, 
3;  prohibition  laws  in,  9;  rain- 
fall, 43,  79,  81,  114,117-118,  127; 
rancherias  in,  alphabetical  list, 
377-387;  rattlesnakes,  117;  rivers, 
5,  17-18;  roads,  114,  127-128; 
school-buildings  and  hotels,  in- 
appropriate to  climate  in,  343, 
347;  scorpions,  117;  storms,  79, 
86-87,  1 1 8-1 19;  water  supply, 
18/.,  37»  72,  III. 

Arizona,  University  of,  4-5,  32,  347. 

Arrow  heads,  flint,  superstitions  re- 
lating to.  III,  180. 

Arroyos.  See  under  names  of  countries 
and  places. 

Atole  bianco,  113,  351. 

Aztecs,  28. 

Baboquivari  Range,  16,  33,  34,  39, 
41,  67,  123,  174,  357;  arroyos  in, 
41-42;  caves  in,  42;  description 
of,  31-32. 

Badger,  22,  231. 

"Badger's  Well"  rancheria,  63. 
Bailey  a  multiradiata,  313. 
Bajio  del  Alcalde  ranch,  162. 
Baltarea,  247. 
Bancroft,  197. 

Bandelier,  Ad.  F.,  6,  24,  29,  377. 
Barajita  rancheria,  285,  355,  359. 
Basketry.    See  under  names  0/  tribes, 

also  Papagoes;  Pimas. 
Bates's  Well,  290. 
Beans.    See  Frijoles;  Tepari. 
Beauclerk,  Lord  Osborne,  249-250. 
Beebe,  Miss  Emily,  204. 
Beloperone  calif ornica,  207. 
Birds.    See  under  names  of  countries 

and  places. 
Bisani,  165. 
Bisnaga,  20. 

Black  Hill  Cemetery,  12. 
Bonancita,  150. 
Bonillas,  Y.  S.,  158,  160,  234. 
Brandy,  9,  74,  75,  194,  195,  291. 
Brownell,    Mr.,    store-keeper  and 
mine-owner,  96. 


Bull-roarer,  88,  90,  95-96. 
Burden  basket,  66,  68. 
Burros.    See  under  Mexico. 
Butcher-bird,  80. 

Cabeza  Prieta  Ranges,  197-198, 
220,  239,  291,  322,  323. 

Caborca,  142,  144,  177,  212,  245, 
258,  261;  American  filibusters  in, 
147;  ball  games  and  races  at,  74; 
church  in,  146;  diseases,  146; 
fighting  at,  74;  fortifications  near, 
142;  Indians  in,  147,  148,  354; 
old  mission  of,  25,  146;  sahuaro 
festival  at,  147-148;  town  of,  de- 
scription, 145^. 

Caborca-Yuma  trail,  196-197,  200, 
237- 

Cacate  rancheria,  355. 

Cacti,  10,  II,  20,  21,  151-152,  188, 
276,  302,  310;  providing  drinking 
supply  for  animals,  152,  153,  154. 
See  also  Choyas;  Sahuaro. 

Cajilon,  174. 

Cajon  del  Diablo,  197. 

California,  agriculture,  9,  19;  dis- 
covery of  gold  in,  176,  241; 
grooved  stone  axes  in,  143;  routes 
to.  See  Caborca-Yuma  trail;  South 
em  Pacific  Railroad. 

California,  Gulf  of,  16,  45,  198,  210, 
226;  fishing,  257-258;  flora,  319; 
Salinas,  163.  See  also  Mexico, 
Salinas. 

California,  Lower,  Indians  from, 
250;  mountains  in,  210,  258,  260. 

C amino  del  Diablo,  197. 

Camote  of  the  medanos,  318-319. 
See  also  Sand-people. 

Campana  gold  mine,  157. 

Cara  Colorada.  See  Pancho,  El 
Doctor. 

Caravajales,  Indian  hermit,  231,  266, 

290,  333- 
Car  do,  283. 
Cargador,  139. 

Casa  Grande,  1 1 1 ;  ancient  ruins,  pres- 
ervation and  antiquities  of,  340-3  42. 


INDEX 


403 


Castillo,      Papago  medicine-man, 
35-37- 

Catholic  Missions,  5-6,  12,  24-25. 

See  also  under  names  of  places; 

e.  g.y  Caborcdy  mission  of. 
Caves.    See  under  names  of  countries 

and  places. 
Celadoresy  164. 

Celaya,   Alberto,    Mexican  driver, 

149,  212,  220,  236,  241,  275. 
Century  plants,  4. 

Cereus  giganteuSy  10,  45.    See  also 

Cacti;  Sahuaro. 
Cerro  Colorado,  203. 
Cerro  Pinto,  229,  311. 
Cerro  Prieto,  142,  245. 
Change  of  climate.    See  under  names 

of  countries  and  places ;  e.  g.y  Mexico. 
Children,  cemetery,  99,   105,  107; 

sacrifice  of,  100. 
Chireones  ranch,  335. 
Chordeiles  acutipennis  texensisy  13. 
Choyas,  151-152,  188,  310,  334. 
Chujubabi,  269,  270. 
Cieneguilla  placer  mines,  182. 
Clemente,  Papago  interpreter,  149, 

212. 

Climate.  See  under  names  of  countries 
and  places;  e.  g.y  Arizona;  Mexico. 

Cocopa  Indians,  250-251;  language 
of,  vocabulary,  368-376;  ranche- 
rias  and  customs  of,  251. 

Cocospera,  mission  of,  146. 

Colonia  Lerdo,  235, 248-250,  268, 289. 

Colorado,  24. 

Colorado  River,  16,  18,  145,  177, 
182,  194,  197,  198,  212,  219,  226, 
235,  242,  244,  246,  248,  250,  251, 
287,  331. 

Comaru,  161. 

Comobabi  rancheria,  65. 

Comobabi  range,  27,  40,  41,  43,  86; 
Indians  in,  27,  356. 

Condaliay  desert  bush,  34. 

Consumption.  See  under  names  of 
countries y  places y  peoples;  e.  g.y 
Papago  Indiansy  consumption 
among. 


Contact  with  whites,  its  effects.  See 
under  names  of  Indian  tribes;  see 
also  Consumption;  Diseases. 

Copper.    See  Mining. 

Coyotes,  14,  156-157. 

Cozon  gold  fields,  150. 

Crabbe,  Capt.  H.  A.,  American  fili- 
buster, 147;  defeat  of,  74. 

Crater  Elegante,  213-214,  234. 

Culiacan,  Sinaloa,  135. 

Curing  disease,  36,  iii,  180,  184,  264, 
335-336. 

Cyprinodon  maculariusy  175. 

Dancing.    See  under  names  of  tribes; 

see  also  Festivals. 
Daturay  280. 
Day,  Judge,  83. 

"Dead  Old  Man's  Well"  rancheria, 
85. 

Deer,  22-23. 

Desert  Botanical  Laboratory,  in 
Tucson,  4,  5. 

Desert  travels,  cowardice  of  a  Mexi- 
can attendant,  292-294;  loyalty 
of  Indian  guides,  291-292;  pro- 
visions, 287.  See  also  under  names 
of  countries  and  places;  e.  g.y  Mex- 
ico. 

Dia  de  San  Juany  31. 

Diaz,  Melchior,  route  of,  197. 

Diseases.    See  under  names  of  coun- 

triesy  placesy  and  tribes. 
Dividing  ranges,  16,  18,  83. 
Dolores,  Father  Kino's  first  mission 

in  Sonora,  24. 
Dominguez  Cipriano,  251,  252,  261. 
Donkeys.    See  Burros. 
Dosinia  ponderosay  256. 
Douglas,  Arizona,  travellers  from,  292. 
Dowie,  "Prophet,"  converts  among 

the  Papagoes,  39-40. 
"Dry  farming,"  19. 
Dry-washing  gold,   183.    See  also 

Mining. 

Earth  Magician  Myths,  357-358. 

EchinocactuSy  20. 


404 


INDEX 


El  Boludo  gold  mine,  140,  144. 
El  Capitan,  243-244,  247,  280. 
"Elder   Brother"  legends,  42,  48, 

192,  207-208,  357-358. 
El  Doctor  swamp,  254. 
El  Durasno  Mountain,  160. 
Eleodes,  227. 
El  Paso,  I,  2. 
El  Pozo  camp,  290,  292. 
El  Tiro  gold  mine,  140. 
El  Tren  mining  camp,  158. 
El  Veit,  290. 
Encelia  eriocephala,  244. 
Encelia  farinosa,  10. 
Ephedra,  215,  247. 
Espuma,  270. 
Estero  del  Tule,  265. 
Euphorbia  polycarpa,  206. 

Fauna.  See  under  names  of  countries 
and  places;  e.  g.,  Mexico,  fauna; 
see  also  names  of  particualr  animals. 

Festivals,  Indian.  See  under  names 
of  countries,  places,  tribes. 

Filibusters,  147. 

Fishes.    See  under  names  of  countries 

and  places. 
Flora.    See  under  names  of  countries 

and  places,  e.  g.,  Mexico,  flora;  see 

also  names  of  particular  plants. 
Florence,  on  the  Gila  River,  123. 
Forbes,  Prof.  R.  H.,  31,  347. 
Fortifications.    See  under  names  of 

countries,  places,  tribes. 
Fort  Yuma,  18. 
Fouquieria  splendens,  302. 
Franciscan  missions,  25. 
Fresnal  rancheria,  32-33,  356. 
Frijoles,  25,  216. 

*'  Frog  Doctor, "  Papago  rain  song,  1 22. 
Fuerte  de  Montes  Claros  River,  182. 

Gaillard,  Capt.  D.  D.,  241. 
Galletal  camp,  285. 
Galletal  inlet,  218. 
Gambel's  quail,  14. 
Games  and  races,  74,  75,  89, 149,  332, 
358,  359. 


Garambullo  Ranch,  150,  153,  154. 
Garbanzos,  7. 

Geological  formations,  17.  See  also 
398-399- 

Geological  sketch  of  the  Papagueria, 

,398-399- 

Giant  cactus.    See  Sahuaro. 

Gila  Bend  Reservation,  337;  Ind- 
ians in,  355. 

Gila  Crossing,  340. 

Gila  Range,  45,  220,  229,  239,  280, 
302. 

Gila  River,  5,  16,  18,  24,  25,  83,  143, 
162,  182,  269,  320,  337;  Indians 
on,  123;  missions  on,  25,  settle- 
ments, 338;  reservation,  339; 
village  sites,  342. 

Gold.  See  under  names  of  countries 
and  places;  Mining. 

Golondrina,  206,  335-336. 

Gray,  Col.  Andrew  B.,  319. 

Gray,  Dr.  Asa,  319. 

Gray,  Mrs.  John,  237. 

Greasewood,  21;  antiseptic  and  other 
useful  properties  of,  222-223. 

Growler  Mountains,  16. 

Growler  Well,  290,  332. 

Grus,  248. 

Guadalajara,  135. 

Guadalupe,  Indian  attendant,  187^., 

195,  269,  288,  295,  297,  325,  333. 
Guaymas,  port,  135,  136. 
Guayule  rubber,  12-13. 

Hacienda  de  Santo  Domingo,  159, 
200. 

Hadrurus  hirsutus,  117. 

Hardie  River,  250. 

Hediondia,  223.   See  also  Greasewood. 

Herba  del  Manso,  264. 

Herb  a  del  Vaso,  10. 

Herba  salada,  154. 

Hermosillo,  capital  of  Sonora,  il, 

135,  136,  220. 
Hiatatk,  319. 

Hiatit  Ootam,  3  29-3 32.  See Arenenos. 

Higuera,  147. 

Hoe,  wooden.    See  Kiik. 


INDEX 


405 


Hohola  Papagoes,  105. 
Hohola  rancherias,  355. 
Holmes,  Prof.  W.  A.,  quoted,  143. 
Hornaday,  Dr.  William  T.,  10. 
Horned  lizard,  71-72. 
Hornitos,  150. 
Horseshoe  mine,  83. 
Hotunikat,  329. 

Huichols,  religious  festivals  of,  356. 
Hungary,  "dry  washing"  machines 

from,  183. 
Hydrophobia,  cure  for,  184-185. 
Hymenopterdy  315. 
Hyptis,  204. 

IiTOi,  myths  of,  168,  171,  173,  202, 
203.    See  also  Elder  Brother. 

Indian  Oasis,  81,  356;  feasts  at,  75; 
store  at,  43,  79. 

Indians,  6-9,  14,  15,  250,  285;  an- 
cient fortifications,  140-142;  ceme- 
teries, 11-12;  consumption  among, 
339;  cooking  utensils,  7;  customs, 
251?  253;  salt-fetching  customs, 
269-272;  tribe  hostilities,  251-252. 
See  also  names  of  separate  tribes 
and  under  names  of  countries  and 
places;  e.  g.y  Arizona,  Indians;  Pa- 
pagoes. 

Insects,  80,  227,  281,  316. 

International  Boundary  Commis- 
sion, 241,  304. 

Jacal,  8. 

Jack-rabbit  mine,  31. 
Jesuit  missions,  25,  197. 
Jojoba,  nut-bush,  81. 
Jose  Juan,  medicine-man,  285,  290- 
291. 

Juan,  Papago  Indian,  91,  119,  125. 
Juanito,  Papago  Indian,  56,  62-63. 
Juarez  mines,  182. 

Kansas,  farming,  19. 

Kansas  City,  Mo.,  speculators  in 

Mexican  land  from,  158. 
Kiik,   Papago  weeding  implement, 

68-69,  341-342. 


Kino,  Father,  24,  175,  341;  map  by, 

197;  mission  of,  138. 
Kitazawa,  Dr.  K.,  118,  146. 
Kohatk   Indians,   355;  rancherias, 

alphabetical  list  of,  386-387. 
Kohatk  rancheria,  iii;   relics  near, 

341- 

Kokeloroti  rancherias,  356. 

Koxikux  rancheria,  356. 

Kuatshi.    See  Santa  Rosa  rancheria. 

Kuk6malik  rancheria,  iii,  355. 

Kuoitak  rancheria,  79. 

Kvitatk,  feast  at,  75;  singers  from, 

Kvivo  rancheria,  singers  from.  96. 

La  chicharra,  205. 
La  Choya  camping-place,  276. 
La  Cienega  placer  mine,  144. 
La  Colonia,  251. 

Laguna  Prieta,  235,  243,  244,  245, 

246,  279,  291. 
La  Nariz  rancheria,  161,  166,  169, 

174,  256,  270;  fortifications  near, 

142,  168. 
Lanius,  80. 

La  Papaga  gold  mine,  American  pros- 
pectors at,  294. 

La  pastora,  283. 

La  Plaza  plain,  296. 

La  Quemada,  Zacatecas  ruins  of, 
142. 

Larrea  tridentata,  21.  See  also  Grease^ 

wood. 
La  Salada,  256. 
La  Soda,  269,  ij^-ijS. 
Laurel,  336. 

LaVentana  hill,  fortifications  on,  41. 
La  Ventana  ranch,  335. 
Leupp,  Mr.,  Indian  commissioner, 
133- 

Level  Ground  Cemetery,  12. 
Levy,  M.  G.,  81,  175. 
Llano  Blanco  rancheria,  335. 
Llanos.    See  under  Mexico. 
Lopez,  Clodomiro,  guide,  220,  233, 

235,  241,  275,  279,  280,  285,  286, 

287,  303. 


4o6 


INDEX 


Lophortyx  gamheli,  14. 
Los  Cerritos  del  Rio,  282. 
Los  Picos  del  Pinacate,  20I. 
Los  Positos,  200,  282,  286. 
Lunar  rainbow,  180-181. 
Lycium,  218. 
Lydig,  Mrs.  David,  236. 

MacDougal,  Dr.  D.  T.,  11,  21. 
McGee,  Prof.  W.  J.,  142,  322. 
Magdalena,  137,  139,  142;  fiesta  of 

San  Francisco  in,  75. 
Magdalena,  District  of,  burros  in, 

200;   description,  134. 
Magdalena  River,  village  sites  on, 

335- 
Maguey,  4. 

Maiz  de  los  Yumasy  169. 

Maricopa  Indians,  252,  338;  dis- 
eases among,  339;  statistics,  339; 
wars  with  Apaches,  74. 

Maricopa  railroad  station,  drug  store 
at,  338-339;   Indians  near,  355. 

Martynia,  353. 

Masks,  127;  clowns,  93,  97,  singers, 

94,  129-130. 
Medanos.    See  Sand-dunes. 
Medicine-lodges,  48,  49,  51-53,  57, 

106,  120,  166,  167,  172. 
Medicine-men.    See  under  names  of 

Indian  tribes. 
Mescal,  4. 
Meteors,  159-160. 

Mexicans,  fond  of  being  photo- 
graphed, 132;  rancherias  of,  162; 
relations  with  Papagoes,  172;  re- 
lations with  Yaqui  Indians,  136- 
137. 

Mexico,  afterglow  of  the  sun,  158; 
agriculture,  I44-I55»  176,  249,  254; 
American  land-investors  in,  159; 
burros,  200,  3 10-3 11,  317,  326; 
cattle-herds  in,  244,  245,  249; 
*'cattle  that  do  not  drink"  in,  153; 
Chinese  in,  137;  climate,  169, 
189,  193-194,  201,  202,  205,  21 T, 
212,  214,  232,  238,  248,  256,  279, 
296,  306,  322,  324,  336;  climate, 


change  in,  17,  18,  180,  202,  232; 
custom-house  inspectors,  164; 
early  Spanish  explorers,  143-144; 
fauna,  135,  156-157,  161,  162,  169, 
199,  205,  206,  210,  212,  213,  217, 
218,  219,  224,  231,  240,  245,  248, 
257,  265,  274,  277,  280,  283-284, 
295,  296,  297,  309,  316;  filibusters 
in,  147;  firewood  in  the  desert, 
215;  fishes,  174-175,  276;  flora, 
134,  135,  139,  147,  151-152,  161, 
176,  188,  201,  204,  205,  207,  213- 
214,  215,  217,  218,  219,  221,  222- 
223,  224,  234,  236,  237,  238,  244, 
247,  248,  249,  251,  255,  256,  259, 

260,  264,  276,  277,  278,  280,  281, 
282,  283,  284,  286,  287,  295,  296, 
297»  302,  306,  309,  310,  311,  312, 
313,  316,  317,  318,  330-331.  335- 
336;  flour  mills,  190;  getting  lost 
in,  303  jf.;  gypsies,  140;  hidden 
treasure  hunting,  308;  hospitality, 
288;  Indian  fortifications  in,  140- 
141,  142,  168;  Indian  antiquities, 

179-  180,  335;  Indian  remedies, 
335-336;  Indian  revolts,  175;  In- 
dian wars,  74,  75;  jack-rabbits, 
334;  Japanese  in,  137,  146,  178; 
llanos,  238,  247;    lunar  rainbow, 

180-  181;  mail-service,  149,  170; 
meat-eating,  287;  medicinal  plants, 
247,  264;  meteors,  159-160;  min- 
ing, 140, 144, 1 50, 161, 182-184, 197, 

261,  299,  300;  missions,  175,  197, 
291;  mountains,  160-162,  230,  236, 
237,  239,  242,  260,  301,  311,  315; 
mountain-sheep,  206,  210,  219-220, 
234,  240,  323;  paleontological  dis- 
coveries, 170-171;  railroads,  135, 
136,  280;  rainfall,  145,  166,  291; 
rancherias  in,  alphabetical  list, 
387-397;  refraction  of  sunlight, 
185-186,  232,  243;  remedies,  221; 
rivers,  17;  roads,  187;  salinas, 
176,  254,  261,  265 _^.;  see  also 
under  Salina;  sand-dunes,  225- 
227;  sand-people  relics,  204,  217, 
316;  soap  manufacture,  200,  276; 


INDEX 


407 


soda  deposits,  275-276;  topog- 
raphy, 134;  trails,  196,  237,  301, 
304,  305,  316;  volcanoes,  201,  203, 
212,  213-214,  221,  232,  233-234, 
279,  296;  water  supply,  140,  146, 
147,  150,  161,  162,  163,  170,  198, 
199,  200,  204,  205,  225,  228,  231, 
235>  237,  238,  241,  246,  252,  255- 
256,  258,  259,  262-264,  266,  286, 
302,  322. 

Mexico,  City  of,  28,  174. 

Mezquite  trees,  14,  21,  78;  spur  made 
from,  63. 

Micropallas  zvhitneyi,  22. 

Miguel,  Papago  Indian,  172. 

Milton,  Jefferson,  42. 

Mimus,  231. 

Mineral  wealth,  17.    See  also  Mining. 

Mining.  See  under  names  of  coun- 
triesy  places,  and  particular  mines; 
e.  g.y  Arizona,  Mexico. 

Missions.  See  under  names  of  coun- 
tries, places,  tribes,  and  particular 
missions;  see  also  Jesuits;  Kino, 
Father. 

Mochomo,  335. 

Mohawk,  321. 

Mohawk  Range,  220. 

Montezuma's  Cave,  37,  42. 

Mountains.  See  under  names  of  coun- 
tries and  places;  see  also  names  of 
particular  mountains. 

Mountain-sheep,  22,  280,  283-284, 
297-298.    See  also  under  Mexico. 

Myths  and  legends.  See  under  Pa- 
pago Indians,  Pinacate,  Elder 
Brother,  litoi. 

Nama  stenophyllum,  283. 
Navaita  festival,  48. 
Nevada,  17. 

Nidri,  harvest  custom  among  Papa- 
goes,  165. 
Nighthawks,  courtship  of,  13-14. 
Noche  Buena,  251. 
Nogales,  Sonora,  134,  234,  249. 
Noria  rancheria  festival,  48  jf.,  86. 
Norias  gold  placer  mine,  1 50. 


OcoTiLLO, 21, 302.  See alsounder Flora. 
Oenothera  trichocalyx,  154,  236,  256, 

278,  312,  331. 
Ola,  Papago  woman's  game,  89. 
Opata  Indians,  missions  among,  25 
Opuntia  fulgida,  151,  188,  334. 
Opuntia  mamillata,  152. 
Oquitoa,  Altar,  184. 
Ortega,  Cipriano,  200,  321. 
Ortega,  Santos,  150-151,  152,  154. 

Pablo,  Jose  Xavier,  Papago  at- 
tendant, 30/.,  132-133,  345. 

Paleontological  discoveries,  170-171. 

Palo  fierro,  224-225,  280,  295.  See 
also  under  Flora. 

Palo  verde,  4,  21,  78.  See  also  under 
Flora. 

Pancho,  El  Doctor,  Papago  attend- 
ant, 198,  293,  295,  298,  300,  311, 
314,  315,  318,  328. 

Papago  Indians,  6-9,  10-12,  16  ff., 
32,  238,  291;  agriculture,  25-27,  37, 
91,  164,  169,  330;  character,  109, 
345;  ancestors  of,  341;  appear- 
ance of,  27;  ball  games  and  races, 
74,  75,  149,  358-359;  basket- 
weaving,  23,  34,  57,  85,  120,  224, 

353-  354;  brandy-smuggling,  75; 
bull-roarer,  95-96;  burial  customs, 
II,  12,  127;  cactus  in  life  of,  47  ff.; 
calendar,  76;  calendar  record  from 
1849  to  1908,  74-76;  Catholic  mis- 
sionaries among,  12,  24-25;  cem- 
eteries, 64,  99-107,  169;  chewing- 
gum  used  by,  10,  346;  child  birth 
and  ceremonies,  350,  351;  clown's 
outfit,  92,  93-94,  97;  consumption 
among,  114,  346-347;  cooking,  7, 
112,  113,  114,  131,  169,  216,  318, 
330-331^  334»  costumes,  124,  331; 
courtship  and  marriage,  347,  348, 
349;  customs,  10,  28,  58,  60,  84, 
324,  331,  346;  dancing,  45,  54,  75, 
121;  decorative  art  of,  342;  dis- 
eases, 74,  75,  146,  178,  184,  185, 
329,  346  jf.;  divisions  of  the  tribe, 

354-  356;      Dowie  missionaries 


4o8 


INDEX 


among,  39-40;  drinking,  9,  57-58, 
123,  125,  148,  172,  195;  dwellings, 
7-8,  77,  86-87,  9i>  165;  effects  of 
contact  with  white  man,  9,  57,  70, 
112-114,  125,  346-347>  352,  3S4» 
364;  Elder  Brother  legends,  42, 
48,  58,  168,  171,  207/.,  355;  fam- 
ily life,  84-85,  347-352;  festivals, 
43y  47/-»  55,  57  ff;  60-61,  74,  75, 
92/.,  119/.,  172,  229,  329,  356; 
fights  with  Apaches,  26,  74,  359- 
362;  harvest  custom  of  niari,  164- 
165;  health,  344;  history  and  origin, 
354;  honesty  of,  84;  hospitality, 
165;  hunting  among,  34,  330,  332; 
hydrophobia,  cure  for,  184-185; 
implements,  57,  68-69,  70,  87,  88, 
316;  industries,  353-354;  inter- 
mixture, 352,  353;  Keeper  of  the 
Smoke,  52,  53,  56,  102;  language, 
23-24;  vocabulary  of,  368-376; 
lodges,  see  Medicine  lodges;  man- 
ners, 346;  medicine-men,  33,  35- 
37,  49-50,  54,  55,  57,  74,  88,  97, 
166-167,  209;  menstruation,  350; 
mining,  83-84,  100,  105,  182,  183, 
184;  myths,  48,  58,  100,  105,  168, 
171,  202,  203,  240,  357-358;  nurs- 
ing, no;  objections  to  being  pho- 
tographed, 34-35,  61-62,  67,  70, 
71,  76-77,  104-105;  physical,  men- 
tal, and  moral  characteristics,  27, 
344-345,  352;_  pottery,  8,  353; 
present  conditions  and  prospects 
of,  28,  363-365;  puberty  cere- 
monies, 75, 350;  rancherias,  25-26; 
alphabetical  list  of,  377-397;  rem- 
edies, 184-185,  335-336;  revolts 
of,  25;  scorpion  and  snake-bite 
cures,  335-336;  sham  battles,  362- 
363;  singers,  94-96;  statistics, 
339;  stores  among,  43;  supersti- 
tions, 35-37,  55,  58/-,  106,  III, 
140;  tattooing,  no;  tobacco,  51, 
52;  tortillas,  190;  trade,  273,  332; 
war  shields,  127;  witchcraft,  24; 
woman's  position  in,  347-352; 
women's  games,  89-90. 


Papagueria,  ancient  implements  in, 
341;  boundaries,  16;  climate,  18; 
fauna,  21-23;  flora,  19-21;  forti- 
fications in,  142;  irrigation,  26; 
rancherias  in,  25-28,  355-356. 

Papagueria,    geological    sketch  of, 

398-399- 
Paso  de  Juana,  237. 
Pechita,  331. 

Pedro,  Papago  attendant,  295,  296, 
297,  298,  300,  311,  313,  314,  315, 
317,  320,  324,  327,  328-329. 

Pelon  rancheria,  337. 

Philibertea  linearis^  309. 

Physalis  lobata,  283. 

Pike,  Warburton,  249. 

Pima  Indians,  23,  24,  338,  355;  afl^a- 
bility  of,  112;  basketry,  340,  353; 
Catholic  influence  on,  112;  cook- 
ing, 112;  customs  and  character 
of,  339-340;  decorative  art  of, 
342;  festivals,  74,  75;  fights  with 
Apaches,  363;  language  of,  vocab- 
ulary, 368-376;  objections  to  being 
photographed,  112;  rancherias, 
alphabetical  list  of,  386-387;  re- 
volt of,  175;  statistics,  339;  trade 
with  Papagoes,  273. 

Pimeria  Alta,  16;  revolt  in,  25. 

Pinacate,  171,  181,  192,  194,  200, 
201,  205,  217,  220,  221,  225,  227, 
236,  290,  302;  craters,  234;  lava 
flow,  296;  myths  about,  202,  203, 
357;  Papagoes  in,  329;  prospect- 
ing in,  321 ;  sacred  cave,  199,  207  ff. 

Pinacate  beetles,  227. 

Pinta  pan,  205. 

Pitahaya  fruit,  46,  80. 

Pitiquito,  145,  146,  184;  Indian  relics, 
335.^ 

Piukvaotam,  Papago  Indian,  67. 

Plantago  fastigiata,  283. 

Plants.    See  flora,  under  names  of 

countries  and  places;  e.  g.,  Mexico, 

flora. 

Pogonomyrmex  barhatus,  335. 
Port  Lobos,  45,  220. 
Potioptila,  309. 


INDEX 


409 


Pottery-making.    See  Papagoes. 

Pozo  Blanco  rancheria,  355. 

Pozo  del  Caballo,  266. 

Pozos,  262-263. 

Pozos  Muchos  rancheria,  355. 

Pozo  Verde  rancheria,  37, 39, 3  56, 359. 

Pozo  Vicente,  251. 

Practising  enclosure.    See  Vdaki. 

Presbyterian  Mission  School,  Ari- 
zona, 30. 

Pronghorn  antelopes,  284. 

Prosopis  puhescensy  258. 

Provisions.    See  Desert  travels. 

Pueblo  Indians,  8;  decorative  art  of, 
342;  religious  festivals,  356. 

Puerto  de  Libertad,  fresh  water  at, 
258. 

QuELELE,  Papago  medicine-man, 
192  ff.,  206-207;  his  prayer  to 
litoi,  209. 

Quelite,  131,  134. 

Quijotoa  Range,  41,  62,  79,  80,  174; 

Indians  in,  27,  355;   mining,  83; 

races  near,  355;  rancherias  in,  85. 
Quiroz,  Isauro,  160, 178, 192,  288,  289. 
Quitovac,  16,  148,  165,  166,  168,  169, 

170,  171,  174,  182,  185,  187,  193, 

195,  200,  269;  festivals  in,  93,  96, 

172,  229,  329;   mining,  182,  183; 

Papago  customs,  350;  settlement 

of,  148. 

Quitovaquita,  198,  269,  286,  289, 
331;  Indians,  332,  354;  settle- 
ment, 198. 

Rabbits,  14. 

Rainbow,  Papago  Indian,  168. 

Rainfall.  See  under  names  of  coun- 
tries and  places;  see  also  Water 
supply. 

Ramon  Cachora,  Papago  family,  39- 
40. 

Rancherias,  25-26;  alphabetical  list 
of?  377~?)97'  ^l-^o  under  names 

of  countries  and  places  and  names 
of  particular  rancherias. 

Rancho  de  Macias,  159. 


Rattlesnakes,  117. 
Red  Rock,  Apaches'  attack  on,  74. 
Refraction  of  sunlight,  185-186,  232, 
243- 

Relics,  204,  217. 

Represa  de  Enrique  rancheria,  163. 

Represa  Ranch,  170. 

Revolts,  136-137. 

Rillito  Salado  River,  248. 

Rivers.  See  under  names  of  coun- 
tries and  places  and  names  of  par- 
ticular rivers. 

Robles  Ranch,  131. 

Rodents,  22. 

Roskruge  Range,  72. 

Rubber,  12. 

Ruiz,  Priscilliano,  138. 

Russell,  Frank,  quoted,  360-361. 

Sacaton  Reservation,  hi,  339; 
festivals  at,  74. 

Sahuaro,  10,  21,  135,  280;  descrip- 
tion of,  45/.;  feasts,  47/.,  75, 
119/.,  147-148;  fruit-juice  of, 
46,  77;  wine,  32,  47,  48,  56-60, 
93,  120,  123,  125. 

Salina  del  Pinacate,  265  jf.,  270,  273, 
276,  285. 

Salina  de  San  Jorge,  163,  269-270. 

Salina  Grande,  261;  w^aterholes  at, 
262-263. 

Salinas,  163,  261  f.,  265,  268,  269. 

See  also  names  of  particular  salinas 
and  under  names  of  countries  and 
places. 

Salitre,  176,  200,  254,  255. 

Salt  expeditions,  99,  163,  218,  269- 
272,  285.    See  also  Salinas. 

San  Antonio  gold  mine,  182. 

Sand-dunes,  225-227,  236,  265, 
277 /•»  299,  300. 

Sand  Papagoes.  See  Areneiios;  Hia- 
tit  Ootam. 

San  Francisco,  fiesta  of,  138  ff. 

San  Francisco  placer  mine,  144. 

San  Ignacio,  138;  Indian  fortifica- 
tions near,  142. 

San  Luis,  150. 


INDEX 


San  Miguel  rancheria,  38. 

San  Pedro,  Sonora,  123. 

San  Pedro  Martiro  Mountain,  260. 

San  Pedro  settlement,  72. 

San  Perfecto,  150. 

Santa  Ana,  140;  Indian  fortifications 

near,  142;  Indian  wars  at,  74. 
Santa  Clara,  "harbor  of,"  254-255. 
Santa  Cruz  River,  5,  17,  31,  143. 
Santa  Rosa  rancheria,  90 jf.,  116  f.y 

cemeteries,  99        festivals  and 

races,  92,  109,  119  ff.,  359;  Keeper 

of  the  Smoke  in,  106  ff. 
Santa  Rosa  valley,  174;  basketry  in, 

353;    Indians,  27,  29,  355,  356; 

mounds  in,  69;  relics,  341;  sham 

battles,  362. 
Santiago,  Papago  hunter,  34-35. 
Santo  Domingo,  331. 
San  Xavier,  9,  13 ;  Apache  attack  on, 

74;  cemeteries  near,  11-12;  feast 

at,  75;  fortifications,  9-10;  singers 

from,  96. 

San  Xavier  del  Bac,  Mission  of,  5-6, 

San  Xavier  Range,  Indians  in,  356. 
Sasabe  custom-house,  164. 
Sauceda  rancheria,  355. 
Scorpion-bite  cure,  335-336. 
Scorpions,  117. 
Screw-bean  trees,  258,  259. 
Sepanovak  rancheria,  39,  356. 
Seri  Indians,  missions  among,  25. 
Seshantia  macrocarpa,  249. 
Sierra  Blanca,  45,  220,  277-278,  279, 

280,  282,  285,  291,  302. 
Sierra  de  Cubabi,  162,  187,  220. 
Sierra  del  Alamo,  220. 
Sierra  de  la  Manteca,  160. 
Sierra  de  la  Nariz,  161. 
Sierra  de  Lechugilla;  301,  302,  tinaja 

in,  235,  238-239. 
Sierra  del  Pozo,  201. 
Sierra   del   Rosario,   242-243,  260, 

263,  289,  311. 
Sierra  del  Tuseral,  199,  236. 
Sierra  del  Viejo,  220,  245,  300,  321. 
Sierra  de  San  Francisco,  201,  281. 


Sierra  de  Santa  Rosa,  161,  220. 

Sierra  Entreada,  230. 

Sierra  Extrana,  230. 

Sierra  Madre,  182. 

Sierra  Nina,  237,  299,  300. 

Sierra  Pinta,  281;  mines,  182,  282. 

Sihu.    See  Elder  Brother. 

Siilmok  rancheria,  337. 

Sikulhimat   rancheria,   83;  singers 

from,  96. 
Silver.    See  Mining. 
Simon,  Papago  Indian,  92,  99  j^. 
Sinaloa,  182. 

Singers.  See  under  names  of  coun- 
tries, places y  tribes;  e.  g.,  Aktjin 
rancheria,  singers  from. 

Snake-bite  cure,  335-336. 

Songs  and  singing,  50,  59,  70,  121, 
122,  123,  349. 

Sonoita,  16,  25,  41,  46,  143,  148,  159, 
160,  161,  164,  169,  170,  174,  176, 
187,  189,  192,  195,  196,  212,  235, 
269,  285,  286,  287,  289,  333,  334, 
336;  ancient  artifacts  in,  143; 
mining,  182;  missions  in,  25,  175; 
order  and  government  in,  177;  pro- 
visions bought  at,  189-191;  ruins, 
175;   settlement,  148,  162,  174/. 

Sonoita  River,  17,  18,  32,  162,  197, 
198,  281-282,  286;  fishes  in,  174- 
175;  sources  and  course  of,  174, 
178-179. 

Sonora,  16,  19,  27,  29,  46,  134,  135; 
Apache  attacks  in,  74;  festivals 
in,  75,  93;  flora,  319;  fortifications, 
142,168;  gold  in,  29;  Indians,  123, 
136;  mining,  83,  182,  183;  peace 
and  order  in,  177;  rancherias,  al- 
phabetical list,  387-397;  village 
sites,  342;  water,  136. 

Sonora  Desert,  11,  16,  136. 

Sosa,  276. 

Southern  Pacific  Railroad,  3,  ill, 
196,  332,  343. 

SphcBralcea  incana,  244,  283. 

Sphcsralcea  oruttii,  244. 

Storms.  See  Arizona;  Cha7ige  of  cli- 
mate. 


INDEX 


411 


Slice  da,  276. 
Suvuk,  330. 
Sykes,  G.,  233. 

Tajitos  gold  mine,  150. 
Tapia,  Jose  Y.,  261. 
Tattooing,  no. 

Tecolote  .    See  Kokeloroti  rancherias. 
Temporales,  169;  agriculture  at,  162, 
163. 

Tepari  beans,  251,  287. 

Tesota  rancheria,  337. 

Texas  nighthawks,  13. 

"The  Fortress,"  ancient  village,  337. 

Thornber,  Prof.  J.  J.,  4. 

Tinaja  del  Cuervo,  217,  218,  269, 

280,  286. 
Tinaja  del  Galletal,  218. 
Tinaja  de  los  Chivos,  205,  228. 
Tinaja  de  los  Papagoes,  228,  231- 

232,  29s,  296,  299,  301,  314,  322, 
,325- 

Tinaja  del  Pinto,  218. 

Tinaja  del  Tule,  196,  228,  235,  237, 

322,  324. 
Tinaja  del  Tule  camp,  196. 
Tinajas,  18,  217,  218,  220,  228,  235, 

237,  244,  245.    See  also  names  of 

particular  tinajas. 
Tinajas  Altas,  220,  235,  236,  239,  240, 

243,  245,  294,  299,  302,  304,  305, 

308,  317,  321,  326. 
Tinajas  Altas  camp,  197. 
Tinajas  de  Emilia,  204,  330. 
Tinajas  de  la  Cabeza  Prieta,  326. 
Tjeavolitak,  foot-race  at,  75. 
Tjiuvak  rancheria,  85. 
Tjukutkokam  Kikam.    See  Kokelo- 
roti rancherias. 
Tjuupo  rancheria,  355. 
Toji,  medicinal  plant,  221. 
Tolman,  Prof.  Cyrus  F.,  Geological 

Sketch    of   the    Papagueria  by, 

398-399. 
Tordillo  Mountains,  239. 


Tornillos,  258. 

Tortillas,  190. 

Totokvan  rancherias,  356. 

Toumey,  Professor,  18. 

Tovoso,  resinous  bush,  81. 

Trincheras  village,  140,  142;  an- 
cient fortifications  of,  140-143. 

Tuberculosis.    See  Consumption. 

Tucson,  I,  12,  13,  14,  15,  16,  18,  31, 
132,  183,  272;  business  and  order 
in,  3-5;  excavations  near,  12; 
fortifications  near,  142;  Indians, 
16;  plant  life,  131;  rainfall,  18. 

Tulares,  255. 

Typha  latipholia,  246,  264. 
Unnatural  vice,  352-353. 

Vaaki,  ceremonial  practising  en- 
closure, lodge;  the  Casa  Grande 
ruins  is  also  thus  named,  58,  97. 

Velasco,  J.  F.,  26,  146,  182. 

Viikan  Shootak  pond,  32. 

Vikitay  harvest  feast,  92. 

Virginia  creeper,  5. 

Volcanoes.    See  Mexico. 

Water  supply.  See  under  names  of 
countries,  places;  e.  g.,  Mexico, 
water  supply. 

White  brittle  bush,  10. 

White  Mountain  Apache  school,  347. 

Yaqui  Indians,  25,  26;  diseases, 
146;  feasts,  138;  language,  137; 
mechanical  ability,  137;  mining, 
137;  missions  among,  25;  rela- 
tions with  Mexicans,  137. 

"Yellow  Caterpillar"  rancheria,  128, 
129. 

Yuma,  197,  251.    See  also  Cahorca- 

Yuma  trail. 
Yuma  Indians,  251,  332. 

ZoNi,  158,  176. 


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